Thunder vs Rockets Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: Shai Continues MVP Chase in H-Town

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is second on the NBA MVP odds board behind Nikola Jokic and hasn't wavered with four straight 30-point performances, all in victories. Our NBA betting picks expect more of the same in Houston tonight.

Chris Faria - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Chris Faria • Betting Analyst
Feb 25, 2024 • 13:31 ET • 4 min read
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This article contains predictions for an old game!

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City Thunder NBA
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will look to pick up their fifth straight victory tonight when they head to H-Town to take on the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been on fire for OKC with four straight 30+ point outings and will look to feast on a Rockets team that’s lost six of its last eight games.

Will SGA drop another 30-point performance? Find out in my Thunder vs. Rockets NBA picks and predictions for Sunday, February 25.

Thunder vs Rockets odds

Thunder vs Rockets predictions

It was another solid night for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Friday as he dropped a team-leading 30 points in just 30 minutes during the Oklahoma City Thunder’s massive 147-106 rout of the Wizards.

After dropping 38 points against the Kings on February 11 — his highest-scoring performance of this calendar year — SGA hasn’t slowed down, scoring at least 30 points in four straight contests while averaging just under 33 ppg over that span. As such, I’ll look for him to stay hot against the Houston Rockets tonight.

The Rockets eked out a 114-110 win over the Suns on Friday but have limped through most of February with just two victories in their last eight outings. Houston, a normally solid defensive team, has struggled in its own half of the court during this stretch, allowing 120 ppg through its last six defeats.

SGA started off February a bit slow but he’s picked it up to the point where he’s now having his best shooting month of the season, converting on 56.4% of his field goal attempts.

He's not a 3-point specialist by any means, averaging just 1.3 made threes per game, but he's also shooting 56.5% from long range this month — a trend that could help his point total climb quickly again tonight.

Tipping off against a struggling Rockets defense, I’ll be looking for another big night from Gilgeous-Alexander.

My best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 32.5 points (-105 at DraftKings)

Thunder vs Rockets same-game parlay

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 32.5 points

Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds

Thunder -6.5

I’ll lean on the Thunder for tonight’s SGP as I also look for Chet Holmgren to snag Over 8.5 boards while the team covers the 6.5-point spread.

Holmgren has picked up at least nine rebounds in three straight games and four of his last five outings while averaging eight per game in February.

OKC has covered the spread in four straight games with an average win margin of 22.75 points. Meanwhile, Houston has lost by at least eight points in six of its last seven defeats.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

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Thunder vs Rockets spread and Over/Under analysis

The streaking Thunder opened as the 6-point favorite against the struggling Rockets — that’s a slam dunk to go with the visitors.

OKC has dominated each of its last four contests, winning by at least 14 points in each of those victories. Along with SGA, Jalen Williams has also stepped up to produce his highest-scoring month of the season for the Thunder. 

The forward dropped back-to-back 30+ point performances to start this four-game win streak and is averaging 21.5 ppg in February. If that duo goes off again, the Rockets simply won’t have the firepower to keep up.

The total for this one opened at 235 points but has shifted down to around 233.5 at most books. Both clubs have seen plenty of Overs recently so I expect another high-scoring matchup. The Thunder have cashed the Over in eight straight games while the Over is 2-1 in the Rockets’ last three contests.

OKC will likely have to lead the way in terms of scoring but that shouldn’t be much of an issue as they’re averaging 121.4 ppg this season (third) and a whopping 127.4 ppg in February — tops in the NBA. And with both SGA and Williams having terrific months, that number should be within reach again tonight.

Thunder vs Rockets betting trend to know

The Over is 10-4 in Oklahoma City’s last 14 road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Rockets.

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Thunder vs Rockets game info

Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Tip-off: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma, Space City Network

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Chris Faria - Covers
Betting Analyst

After writing a few pieces for the Varsity newspaper during his time at the University of Toronto, Chris Faria's career in sports truly began in 2019 when he attended the sports journalism program at Centennial College. Since then, he’s covered virtually every sport under the sun, having written for several different outlets including Covers and the Canadian Olympic Committee. A lifelong hockey fan and player, Chris currently works full-time for the National Hockey League.

Outside of hockey, he’s also an avid poker player and mixed martial arts fan, which is coincidentally his favorite sport to bet on – usually in the form of a parlay on bet365. The main lesson he’s learned from years of betting is bankroll management: "Never bet more than you’re comfortable losing and never chase your losses."

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