NBA Free Premium Play 01/16: Houston Rockets @ Washington Wizards

Houston  at Washington

NBA - 707 Houston Rockets @ 708 Washington Wizards Projected line: Houston by 2 points I can actually see Houston struggling on this contest. They have three areas where they generally struggle on defense: fast break points, interior defense and allowing offensive rebounds. These are exactly the three areas where Washington did well on their last game against the Sixers, especially in the 2nd half. Their head coach Flip Saunders was satisfied with the way the team played in that 2nd half, with John Wall having his best game of the season so far: “I would say the second half was the best half of basketball he has ever played with us. He was being really aggressive and put in a great effort. As a point guard, you are the leader of the team. He is the first line of defense. He was a constant asset tonight. He got frustrated at times but we talked him through it and maintained his focus.” The Wizards have had so many games in which players shoot after the first pass on offense or take turns going on one-on-one, dribble-shake-and-shoot-fests that they were probably shocked by what happened on Saturday against the Philadelphia 76ers: players were actually looking to make the extra pass. The result was a game in which the Wizards shared the ball and had 19 assists – their second most in a game all season! On the other side, Houston continues to struggle on their interior defense by allowing 66% FG at the rim and even 43% FG from 3-9 feet! I can see Washington having a good offensive game today, as Houston is basically a poor defensive team. They rank dead last in P&R Ball Handler with 0.88 PPP allowed and they are also a subpar team in allowing offensive rebounds to their opponents (24th in the league). Houston's backcourt is surely tired after two gruelling games, where Martin and Lowry played respectively 39 and 41 minutes vs Sacramento and 49 and 48 minutes vs Portland! This game is a weird one for Houston, as they are coming from two home games and after this game, they will play three more home games, including one tomorrow against Detroit! So, the spot for Houston is a bit tough, while Washington is coming from a decent showing against the Sixers, especially in the 2nd half. I believe the Wizards have the tools to explore the poor defense of the Rockets and so, I expect a tight here in here. Therefore, I'll take Washington today. Pick: 3 units (Single Dime Play) on 708 Washington Wizards (+5) @ -110 / 1.91 on Bookmaker