Thunder @ Rockets, Kings @ Spurs Previews, Picks & Props for Wednesday

The Wizards at Pistons game for Wednesday has been postponed due to the Wizards being stranded in Dallas in a snowstorm. There are eight other games on tonight’s slate and we’ll take a deep dive into the Thunder @ Rockets as well as the Kings visiting the Spurs. 

While we originally expected this to be a matchup of two tanking teams fighting their way to Victor Wembanyama, the Thunder have decided they want to make the playoffs and are making a late-season push in order to do just that. But the tanking Rockets have somehow won two of their last four games, although both of them were close calls against marginal teams (Minnesota & Detroit). They’ve been without both Jalen Green (calf) and Kevin Porter Jr. (foot), and both have been ruled out tonight, as well. The Rockets are dangerously close to catching the Pistons in wins and need to lose this game.

Veteran Eric Gordon, a shutdown/trade candidate, led the Rockets with 24 points and seven assists in their win over the Pistons and he’s scored in double figures in all but two of his January games, averaging 15.4 points and 1.7 triples for the month. Tari Eason and Kenyon Martin Jr. both double-doubled in that win, Jae’Sean Tate scored 13 points and Jabari Smith Jr.’s struggles continued as he hit just 2-of-12 shots for seven points. He did have 12 rebounds, two steals and three blocks, but it’s been a real struggle for Smith thus far. He’s only scored in double figures in one of his last four games and in six of his 12 January contests. He hasn’t really been shooting it well, scoring, stealing or blocking shots much, but maybe Saturday’s decent line was a sign of things to come. His struggles are also just what the Rockets need on the way to tank town. Eason, Martin and Smith are all guys who could go nuts in March and April and the Rockets have a perfect fantasy playoff schedule. We also think Eason and Martin should be primed to have another good game tonight, so streaming them in fantasy or betting them makes some sense. Alperen Sengun should be back from his illness tonight and he’s also likely to have some success against the Thunder.

OKC is now actually trying to make the playoffs and have rattled off eight wins in their last 12 games. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey and Jalen Williams have been rolling and it wouldn’t be surprising to them put it all together tonight and blow the Rockets out of their own gym. SGA has scored at least 31 points in five straight games and has topped the 30-point mark in all but four of his January games. SGA just missed 43.5 total points, rebounds and assists in his last game but was over the number in his previous four. Josh Giddey averaged 18.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.4 assists in January and only has to score 18 points tonight to hit his over. He’s scored at least 18 points in eight of his last 14 games. Williams’ over in points tonight is set at 14.5 and he’s hit that in three straight contests.  

Pick: Thunder -5.5

Prop 1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 43.5 points, rebounds and assists

Prop 2: Josh Giddey Over 17.5 points

Prop 3: Jalen Williams Over 14.5 points

The Kings are 8-3 over their last 11 games and De’Aaron Fox has scored 29-plus points in four of his last seven games. He’s also been getting solid rebounds and assists for the No. 3 seed in the West. Domantas Sabonis was ejected in his last game but still had a January to remember, racking up averages of 18.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists for the month. Harrison Barnes hit 3-of-11 shots in Monday’s overtime win against Minnesota but had scored in double figures in every other game in January. He’s not doing much besides scoring and hitting 3-pointers though, so he’s not a guy we’d use in a combo play. Keegan Murray is coming on and had 13 points and 13 boards in his last game, and averaged 14 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.2 3-pointers in January. Kevin Huerter scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting on Monday but had scored in double digits in 10 of his previous 12 games. He should get back on track tonight. 

For the Spurs, Keldon Johnson has scored in double figures in 10 straight games and has scored at least 24 in three of his last four. The last time these two teams met on Jan. 15, KJ hit just 8-of-25 shots for 20 points and he was 2-of-10 from long range in that one. But he’s been shooting it lights out since then, hitting at least 50 percent of his shots in three straight games and in five of his last six. Jeremy Sochan is also hot, scoring in double figures in seven straight games and he’s averaging 18 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 3-pointers over that stretch. Tre Jones is in a slump right now, hitting just 14-of-44 shots over his last four games and scoring in single digits in all of them. He should play better tonight and the Spurs are tanking hard, losing five straight games, as well as 10 of their last 11. 

Pick: Kings -7.5

Prop 1: De’Aaron Fox Over 25.5 points

Prop 2: Domantas Sabonis Over 40.5 points, rebounds and assists

Prop 3: Jeremy Sochan Over 13.5 points