The Houston Rockets head to Indianapolis for a Monday night meeting with the Indiana Pacers in the NBA. Both teams come into this game on two-game winning streaks and will try to get a third straight victory in this matchup between teams with All-Star level talent on both sides. Before tip-off from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, continue reading to get all of the trends and stats you need to know, along with my Rockets vs Pacers prediction.
Our Rockets vs Pacers Pick
Pick: Pacers +5.5 ATS PRO
Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
Matchup: Houston Rockets @ Indiana Pacers
Date & Time: Monday, February 2, 7:00 PM ET
Venue: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
Health report: Houston lists Steven Adams out for the season after ankle surgery and Fred VanVleet out for the season with a knee injury. Kevin Durant is also out for this game with an ankle injury and is expected back on the floor later in the week. Indiana is without Tyrese Haliburton for the season due to an Achilles injury, while Obi Toppin remains sidelined with a foot issue.
Star power: Kevin Durant paces Houston at 26.2 points per game, but is out for this game, leaving Houston to rely more heavily on Alperen Sengun. Sengun leads the Rockets in rebounds at 9.2 per game and assists at 6.4 per game. Pascal Siakam leads Indiana with 23.8 points and 6.9 boards per contest, while Andrew Nembhard leads them at 7.5 assists per game.
Form guide: The Rockets have won two games in a row, defeating the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks behind two solid defensive efforts. Indiana has also won two straight games, beating the Hawks and Chicago Bulls in consecutive home games.
Pace and shot quality: Houston plays at a slower pace than league average and emphasizes good shot selection and offensive rebounding. Indiana plays faster but struggles to convert efficiently without its All-NBA facilitator. Expect to see a lot of usage for Pascal Siakam in the half-court.
Boards and paint touches: Without Adams, Houston still pounds the glass behind Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., a key edge versus a Pacers team that has given up second-chance points often this year.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
Past meetings: Houston won the first meeting this season 126-119 in late December. Last season at this venue, Indiana won 115-102 in early March.
Indiana is 25-24 against the spread so far this season.
Houston enters this game with a 22-25 record against the spread for the year.
The under is 30-19 in games involving the Pacers this season.
Houston has stayed under the total in 26 of their first 47 games.
Under normal circumstances, the Houston Rockets would probably have a sizable upper hand over the Indiana Pacers. But the absence of Durant changes things dramatically for Houston. Indiana should be able to stay in this game behind Siakam, as the Pacers continue to play improved basketball. I recommend taking the points with the home dog.
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