Rockets vs. Thunder prediction, odds, pick for 2024 NBA Cup Semifinals
12/13/2024 06:51 PM
The Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder are in Las Vegas for the semifinals of the 2024 NBA Cup! It’s time to continue our NBA Cup odds series with a Rockets-Thunder prediction and pick.
The Rockets are the biggest surprise of the season so far. At 17-8, they are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies with the 2nd best record in the Western Conference. Houston took down the Golden State Warriors in the Quarterfinals of the NBA Cup after late game controversy. Now, they have a chance to defeat the Thunder and play for the NBA Cup Title game. The Los Angeles Lakers won last year, and the Rockets aim to be the 2nd ever team to do so.
OKC is the top team in the West with a 19-5 record. Even after losing Chet Holmgren, they remain a force in this league. Led by Shai Gilgious-Alexander, they are winners of four straight games and eight of their last ten. OKC leads the NBA with a +12.0 point difference on the season. It’s still early, but the winner of this game could determine who the top team in the West really is.
Here are the Rockets-Thunder NBA Cup Semifinals odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Cup Odds: Rockets-Thunder Semifinals Odds
Houston Rockets: +5.5 (-112)
Moneyline: +184
Oklahoma City Thunder: -5.5 (-108)
Moneyline: -220
Over: 212.5 (-110)
Under: 212.5 (-110)
How To Watch Rockets vs. Thunder
Time: 8:30 ET/5:30 PT
TV: ABC
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Rockets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Rockets have a great chance to cover this spread. They are the second-best team in the West, behind OKC, in points allowed this year. They only allow 105.9 points per game and OKC allows 103.8. OKC has proven to be one of the toughest teams in the league because they wear opponents down and score a lot of points. The Rockets seem to one the one team in the West that can defend that and play up to those standards.
Houston defeated the Tbunder 119-116 on December 1. In a high-scoring affair, the Rockets got the best of the Thunder thanks to Fred VanVleet’s 38 points. The former Toronto Raptor brings veteran experience to this young Rockets squad.
This game won’t be as high-scoring as the last matchup. Both sides are going to defend as if it’s Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. If this is the case, the Rockets must rebound. Their 51-46 advantage on the boards in the last meeting helped propel them to the close win.
Jalen Green is one of seven players who average double digits in scoring. He leads at 19.2 points per game and is turning into a star for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun is the top player on the team playing out of his mind this year. He averages 18.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and shoots 47.6% from the field. He also adds 1.0 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. Both Green and Sengun must have strong performances against OKC.
Why the Thunder Could Cover the Spread/Win
Since the Boston Celtics lost to the Atlanta Hawks in one of the NBA Cup group games, the Thunder have been the favorite to win this NBA Cup. They are considered the only real threat to the Celtics’ Championship hopes this year. Even without Holmgren, the Thunder remain dominant on both sides of the floor. Their league-leading point differential proves that this team is very hard to beat. You must be at your best.
SGA leads the team and is an MVP candidate once again this year. Shai is 4th in the league in scoring per game at 30.2. He adds 5.4 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.0 blocks, 1.8 steals, and shoots 51.5% from the floor. He and Derrick White are the only two guards in the NBA to average at least one block per game. Shai scored 32 against the Rockets last time out and will need to score at least 30+ once again as this contest will be a defensive battle.
Jalen Williams has been playing out of his mind this year. He is averaging 21.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and shoots 50.5% from the floor. He is almost a young SGA and with the two of them dominating the stat sheets, the Rockets will have a lot on their plate.
Final Rockets-Thunder Prediction & Pick
This game will be close. I expect the Rockets to cover this spread in what should be a thriller. However, my pick will be Thunder moneyline. The Thunder are the better team even though the Rockets are hot right now. OKC defeated the Dallas Mavericks by 14 in the Quarterfinals and should get the job done to advance to the NBA Cup Final.
Final Rockets-Thunder Prediction & Pick: Thunder ML (-220)
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