Rockets vs Jazz Odds and Why Cup Math Says Houston Covers

The Houston Rockets are laying around 15 points tonight at Toyota Center against a Utah Jazz team that's 1-11 and riding a 10-game losing streak. It's also an NBA Cup group game, and Houston walks in at 0-1 in the group after a loss in Dallas.

I'm taking Houston to cover, and the friendliest number on the board is minus 14.5 at DraftKings. Utah is missing three of their biggest pieces, and the Rockets have every reason to run up the score. My final score is Rockets 124, Jazz 104.

Odds are current as of 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 13, and subject to change before tipoff.

DraftKings: Moneyline Rockets -1180, Jazz +740. Spread Rockets -14.5 (-117), Jazz +14.5 (-103)

FanDuel: Moneyline Rockets -1100, Jazz +700. Spread Rockets -15.5 (-108), Jazz +15.5 (-112)

BetMGM: Moneyline Rockets -1200, Jazz +750. Spread Rockets -15.5 (-105), Jazz +15.5 (-110)

Caesars: Moneyline Rockets -1100, Jazz +700. Spread Rockets -15 (-120), Jazz +15 (+100)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. CT at Toyota Center in Houston.

TV: Space City Home Network and SCHN+ in Houston.

Utah's injury list makes the case, with Lauri Markkanen out with a fractured right hand, Jaren Jackson Jr. out with a torn MCL and Jusuf Nurkić sidelined with a plantar plate tear in his right foot. That leaves Keyonte George, who's averaging 20.4 points and 6.5 assists, carrying a heavy load against Houston's length.

The Jazz are 0-5 on the road, with those losses coming by 20, 22, 7, 12 and 15 points, and they're 0-6 in games decided by double digits. When Utah loses, they tend to lose big.

The Cup math gives Houston every reason to keep their foot on the gas. Point differential is a key tiebreaker in group play, and Yahoo Sports noted the Rockets would need to win by 13 to jump Denver for second.

Houston won't be whole, since Marcus Smart starts his three-game suspension tonight for the punch that got him tossed in the win over Golden State. Clint Capela and Steven Adams remain out, per tonight's injury report, so Sengun is still carrying the center essentially solo.

The biggest risk is Houston's own habits, since the Rockets play at one of the slowest paces in the league and they let the Warriors' bench turn a 21-point lead into a seven-point final on Wednesday. A sleepy fourth quarter is Utah's best path to a cover.

With Cup points on the line, I trust Ime Udoka to keep the starters locked in. Houston is 9-3 and 6-1 at home after bouncing back from that Minnesota loss, and I like them to bury the Jazz, 124-104.

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