Rockets vs Mavericks Predictions & Picks - Houston Keeps the Streak Rolling
- Houston Rockets are tipped to cover -5.5 against Dallas Mavericks.
- Rockets are 5-0, second in net rating, and shooting 40.4% from three.
- Cooper Flagg tipped over 24.5 points for Dallas.
By Ryan Tucker • Sports Editor & Betting Analyst
Sports Tipster & Betting Model Expert
Fact Checked by: Leigh Copson•Updated:
Rockets vs Mavericks
Rockets vs Mavericks Expert Predictions & Picks
I'm taking the Houston Rockets -5.5 in Dallas on Friday, Oct. 30, at 8:00 p.m. ET in an NBA Cup group game. The player prop I'm backing is Cooper Flagg over 24.5 points.
This line is too short for a team playing this well. The Rockets are 5-0 and rank second in both net rating and offensive rating, and they're shooting 40.4% from three.
They beat Dallas 128-110 in the opener and won by 32 in Milwaukee on Wednesday without Alperen Sengun.
Flagg is the one Mavericks player I want a piece of. He's averaging 25.2 points and scored 32, 29 and 26 in his three full-minute games. Dallas is shorthanded up front, and somebody has to keep pace with Houston.
Key Stats
- Houston is 5-0 and has covered -5.5 in 4 of 5 games
- The Rockets rank second in net rating, and Dallas ranks 13th
- Dallas is turning it over 17 times a game
- Flagg scored 32 points in the season opener against Houston
Head to Head
Houston beat Dallas 128-110 at home on Oct. 21, and it wasn't close after Dallas turned it over 21 times. Last season was a different story in Dallas. The Rockets won both home meetings but lost 122-109 and 110-104 at American Airlines Center.
Houston Rockets Form
Sengun (back) and Marcus Smart (forearm) are game-time calls after missing Wednesday, and Reed Sheppard and Steven Adams are out. Houston didn't miss a beat without them, putting up 132 on Milwaukee behind 23 points from Amen Thompson.
The defense ranks ninth, and the shooting has been the difference. This is the front end of a back-to-back, with Oklahoma City at home tomorrow, so the risk is the starters sitting late if Houston pulls away early.
Dallas Mavericks Form
Dallas is 3-2 and has won two straight, including a 120-96 win over a short-handed Thunder team on Wednesday. Dereck Lively II is out, and Santi Aldama and Naji Marshall are game-time calls.
Flagg is running more of the offense with 6.8 assists a game, and he's playing 30.6 minutes. Kyrie Irving is averaging 18 points, and P.J. Washington is giving them 7.8 rebounds.
Verdict
Houston is the better team on both ends and has cleared this number in four of five games. I'll lay the 5.5 and take Flagg to do some of the scoring on the other side.
Ryan Tucker
Sports Editor & Betting Analyst • Sports Tipster & Betting Model Expert
Ryan is a sports content writer and editor, producing insights and analysis for major sports including NFL, NHL, NBA and more.
Born in Australia, multiple trips to North America deepened his love for the four major US sports and a continuing dream to catch as much live action as possible.
Stats and data analysis has now outgrown the hobby tag and the countless models and simulations are now being put to good use writing previews and predictions for all major sporting events across basketball, ice hockey, baseball, football and Australian sports that are still close to his heart.