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Betting the point spread in the NBA is arguably the hardest of any sport.
Many joke that the acronym stands for “Nothing But Aggravation,” but sometimes you can cash a ticket by handicapping the schedule more than the matchup.
The Houston Rockets host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday as 4.5-point underdogs with a total of 222.5 points.
The Rockets just snapped a three-game skid with a narrow win over the short-handed Chicago Bulls. Houston was favored in all four games and is actually 0-6 against the spread (ATS) in its past six games. This is their worst stretch of the season.
During this six-game run, they are 51-for-212 shooting from 3-point territory, which is 24 percent.
This is stunning for a team that includes Kevin Durant and Reed Sheppard, but they are also short-handed and approaching a midseason lull.
Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) celebrates with center Alperen Sengun (28) during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls in Houston, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. AP
Meanwhile, the Thunder just emerged from a 6-6 rut and have won four straight games, including a 21-point win over the San Antonio Spurs in their last game. That was a big hurdle to clear, as they had lost the three previous meetings.
Betting on the NBA?
I think OKC is poised to keep it rolling. While the Rockets will likely control the boards, the Thunder have so much more depth and shooting.
I have an 88-77-2 ATS record in this Post sports section, and my next play is the Thunder -4.5 points. (-110, BetMGM Sportsbook).
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Doug Kezirian is a New York Post contributor who has over two decades of experience in the betting space, including spending 11 years at ESPN as a host, columnist and betting analyst. He’s also the rare personality who has documented success – 14th place in 2023 Circa Million and Las Vegas SuperContest ($37K), two top-10 finishes in 2022 William Hill College Football Challenge ($58K) and also grabbed headlines with a $297K win on the 2021 NFL Draft.
