Rockets at Nuggets, Dec. 8: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet
The Rockets (9-9) and Nuggets (14-8) have already met three times in the early weeks of the NBA’s 2023-24 regular season, but none of those three featured both teams with their starting point guard.
Denver was without Jamal Murray in Houston’s two wins, while the Rockets were missing Fred VanVleet in their loss to the Nuggets last week. On Friday, in the last meeting of the season, both teams will finally be at close to full strength as the upstart Rockets travel to Denver for one final matchup with the defending league champions.
If you’d like last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We have the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as all the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet.
Friday’s game starts at 8 p.m. Central and can be seen on the Space City Home Network and NBA League Pass.
Here’s a look at Friday’s lines:
- Point spread: Nuggets -8.5
- Money line: Nuggets -350 / Rockets +280
- Over/under: 219.5
Rockets at Nuggets injury/status report:
The Dec. 8 injury report issued by the Rockets lists Victor Oladipo (left patellar tendon repair) and Jock Landale (illness) as out. Amen Thompson, Cam Whitmore, Nate Hinton, and Jermaine Samuels Jr. are all away from the team while playing for Houston’s NBA G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Vipers.
The Nuggets are listing Vlatko Cancar (left knee surgery) as out, while Jamal Murray (right ankle sprain) is probable. Collin Gillespie, Braxton Key, and Jay Huff are with Denver’s G League affiliate.
Advice and prediction
The Rockets are 9-6 in VanVleet’s last 15 games played, and only two of those losses were by double digits (narrowly, at 10 and 11 points). Bettors likely noticed that Denver defeated Houston by 19 last week, leading to Friday’s bloated line, but they may have missed that VanVleet didn’t play in that game. When Houston’s floor general is on the court, the Rockets are usually very competitive.
Prediction: Nuggets 113, Rockets 108
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
