Through 3 Quarters

The experts predicted a defeat for the Houston Rockets, but with just one quarter left to go, they seem like they might make the experts look bad. It’s still tight after three quarters, with Houston leading 73-72 over the New York Knicks.

The Rockets have been led by power forward Christian Wood, who so far has dropped a double-double on 17 points and ten boards along with two blocks. Shooting guard Evan Fournier has led the way so far for New York, as he has shot 5-for-8 from beyond the arc and has recorded 17 points.

This is the first time Houston has been ahead going into the fourth quarter in the past nine games.

Who’s Playing

Houston @ New York

Current Records: Houston 1-14; New York 8-7

What to Know

The Houston Rockets have been on the wrong side of a one-way rivalry with the New York Knicks and are hoping to record their first win since Feb. 24 of last year. After a few days’ rest for both teams, they will meet up at 5 p.m. ET Nov. 20 at Madison Square Garden. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they’ll have plenty of motivation to get the ‘W.’

The game between Houston and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday was not a total blowout, but with the Rockets falling 101-89 on the road, it was darn close to turning into one. Power forward Christian Wood had a pretty forgettable game, playing for 28 minutes with 4-for-16 shooting.

Meanwhile, New York was within striking distance but couldn’t close the gap on Wednesday as they fell 104-98 to the Orlando Magic. The losing side was boosted by center Mitchell Robinson, who dropped a double-double on 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Houston is the clear underdog, so they’re hoping it’s the size of the fight that determines this one. They have failed bettors playing the spread in their past five games, so buyers beware.

The losses put Houston at 1-14 and New York at 8-7. A pair of defensive numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: The Rockets are fourth worst in the league in points allowed per game, with 112 on average. The Knicks’ defense has more to brag about, as they they have been holding their opponents to a field goal percentage of 42.80%, which places them second in the league. So the cards are definitely stacked in their favor.

How To Watch

• When: Saturday at 5 p.m. ET
• Where: Madison Square Garden — New York, New York
• TV: ATTSN Southwest
• Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
• Follow: CBS Sports App
• Ticket Cost: $72.00

Odds

The Knicks are a big 11.5-point favorite against the Rockets, according to the latest NBA odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Knicks as an 11-point favorite.

Over/Under: -110

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Series History

Houston have won eight out of their last 12 games against New York.

• May 02, 2021 – New York 122 vs. Houston 97
• Feb 13, 2021 – New York 121 vs. Houston 99
• Mar 02, 2020 – New York 125 vs. Houston 123
• Feb 24, 2020 – Houston 123 vs. New York 112
• Apr 05, 2019 – Houston 120 vs. New York 96
• Jan 23, 2019 – Houston 114 vs. New York 110
• Nov 25, 2017 – Houston 117 vs. New York 102
• Nov 01, 2017 – Houston 119 vs. New York 97
• Dec 31, 2016 – Houston 129 vs. New York 122
• Nov 02, 2016 – Houston 118 vs. New York 99
• Nov 29, 2015 – Houston 116 vs. New York 111
• Nov 21, 2015 – New York 107 vs. Houston 102

Injury Report for New York

Injury Report for Houston

• Kevin Porter: Out (Thigh)
• John Wall: Out (Not Injury Related)