The Suns (7-5 SU, 7-5 ATS) have lost two straight and three of four, but a visit to the Toyota Center might be all they need to snap out of their recent funk. Phoenix has covered 22 of its last 30 road games against the Rockets (4-8, 4-8) and opened as a 6-point road favorite.
- Date/Time: January 20, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Toyota Center
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Suns -6 | O/U 221 (Line History)
- Suns vs Rockets Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Almost all of the Suns’ recent point-spread success in Houston has come as an underdog. In fact, this contest will mark the first time Phoenix has been favored in Houston since 2014 and just the second time since 2007.
Phoenix News & Notes
The Suns will be thin in the frontcourt again Wednesday as Dario Saric and two other forwards remain in COVID-19 quarantine. Without Saric, who is averaging 10.6 points and 18.9 minutes this season, Frank Kaminsky saw extended time Monday in Memphis, scoring eight points in 13 minutes.
Phoenix also juggled its starting lineup by replacing veteran power forward Jae Crowder with Cameron Jones, although Crowder still ended up playing 29 minutes off the bench.
Deandre Ayton had 18 points and a season-high 16 rebounds in the 108-104 loss against Memphis, but Devin Booker hit just five of his 21 shots from the field and failed to score at least 22 points for the first time in his last eight outings. The game was Phoenix’s first in a week after the Suns’ previous three games had been canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.
Perhaps getting back into a normal rhythm will help Phoenix get back into the form that has seen it cover 15 of its last 20 games dating back to last season. The Suns are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games when playing on one day’s rest.
Houston News & Notes
After winning their first game following the James Harden trade, the Rockets have come back down to earth with back-to-back losses against the Spurs and Bulls. The latter defeat came Monday in Chicago when Houston dug itself an early 17-point deficit and couldn’t quite come all the way back in dropping a 125-120 decision.
Lack of continuity in the lineup might have had something to do with the Rockets’ poor start against Chicago. With John Wall sidelined by a sore knee that will keep him out again tonight, Houston started its fourth different point guard in as many games on Monday.
Meanwhile, Victor Oladipo made his Rockets debut and Eric Gordon returned from a leg injury, bumping Jae’Sean Tate, Ben McLemore and Mason Jones back to the second unit. Oladipo shone in his first game with the Rockets, scoring 32 points in 32 minutes and adding nine assists.
Center Christian Wood has emerged as Houston’s top offensive threat in the post-Harden era, averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds in three games since the trade. The 62 combined points from Oladipo and Wood on Monday helped the Rockets go OVER the total for the first time in their last nine games.
Betting Pick: Suns -5.5
Now that they’ve had a game under their belt following their week-long layoff, expect the Suns to get back to the type of basketball that has seen them win 17 of their last 23 games.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Phoenix is 15-5 ATS in its last 20 games.
- The UNDER is 7-1-1 in Houston’s last 9 games.
- Phoenix is 22-8 ATS in its last 30 road games vs Houston.
