Houston has quietly established itself as one of the more efficient offensive outfits in the league, and there's every reason to believe the Rockets can continue putting points on the board against Milwaukee. The Rockets are undefeated through four games, scoring 128, 114, 121 and 120 points against Dallas, San Antonio, Atlanta, and Atlanta again. They're shooting efficiently, taking care of the basketball, and creating additional opportunities against opponents of all quality grades. Those are the little things that make a considerable difference when it comes to generating points. Milwaukee should be an easier opportunity for the Rockets to blast off.
Milwaukee might have pulled a rabbit out of its hat against Indiana in their last outing, but that was a divisional rivalry and this is an entirely different assignment. The Bucks are navigating a transitional period and their defensive performances have hardly been reassuring even if they looked better against the Pacers. Cream City surrendered 128 points to Washington, 132 points to Chicago, and 127 to Philadelphia before holding Indiana to 102. I am not convinced that the Deer can hold serve against a team as talented and methodical as Houston. The Rockets can blow the Bucks out and still at 228.5, this goes over. If the Bucks regress back to the 127-point range, then Houston giving up 102 points get us home. Mathematically, the mode of Houston's defensive output is 110 as that is the precise number 3 of their opponents go to. A 127-110 win get us well over and is seemingly greater than standard vigorish odds if we want to get algebraic. However, if the Bucks make this a game, the total easily clears. Over or nothing here.
Rockets vs Bucks prediction: Over 228.5 (-111) available at time of publishing. Playable to Over 229.
