Jazz Vs Rockets odds, prediction, time and injury reports for February 23
In tonight's matchup the jazz vs rockets will tip off at 9: 30 pm ET on Monday, February 23, and the game blends sharp betting angles with notable availability changes for Utah. Below are the odds, best bets and the full injury and rotation picture ahead of tip-off.
Odds, prediction and time
The matchup is set to tip at 9: 30 pm ET on Monday, February 23. The Rockets are listed as massive home favorites, with a team total set at 120. 5 (-115) and a recommended best bet of the Rockets team total Under 120. 5 (-115). The published spread shows Jazz +13 (-110) and Rockets -13 (-110). The game total is presented as Over 228. 5 (-110) | Under 228. 5 (-110). One model angle driving the picks notes that the Rockets have hit the Game Total Under in 21 of their last 25 games for +16. 60 Units and a 60% ROI. A brief prompt on the coverage invited readers to add the content as a preferred source on their accounts.
Scoring, defense and stats
The Rockets are struggling to score: they rank 26th in offensive rating over their last 12 games and have averaged 104. 9 points per game during that stretch, a mark described as next-to-last and worse than the Wizards. That run helps explain why the 120. 5 team total looks inflated; the Rockets haven't topped 120. 5 in 12 games. The Jazz, meanwhile, were criticized for playing horrific defense for much of the first half of a recent stretch but have ranked 10th in defensive rating since February 1. One suggested path for the Rockets to get more buckets is moving the ball; second-year guard Reed Sheppard has averaged 4. 0 assists over his last five games, topping 3. 5 assists three times in that span. The analysis also notes that Utah still ranks dead last in opponent assists per possession, and that Lauri Markkanen has gone over his number in five of his last six games. As one summary line put it: "The Rockets can't shoot. The Jazz can't rebound. Rebounds for all!"
Jazz Vs Rockets injury report
The Utah Jazz enter the game coming out of the weekend with indications of major improvements on the injury report compared with their last outing against the Memphis Grizzlies. Two upgrades stand out: Keyonte George is elevated to questionable from a right ankle sprain, and Lauri Markkanen is listed as probable after missing the Grizzlies game with an illness. If both are available, the Jazz would regain their top-two scorers on the floor; those two are averaging over 50 combined points per game during the season so far, and their availability would allow head coach Will Hardy's rotation to return closer to normal.
Availability and rotation notes
George has missed seven of the last eight Jazz games due to two separate ankle sprains. One left ankle sprain sidelined him for three games before the All-Star break; he then returned against the Orlando Magic. A second right ankle sprain caused him to miss four games. With extra rest, Utah's third-year guard might be officially good to go for this matchup. Conversely, the Jazz will be without their starting center Jusuf Nurkic, who has been dealing with a nose issue for the past two games and will be sidelined once more, leaving the frontcourt altered.
Who could start for Utah
Expect Kyle Filipowski to handle start duties in Nurkic's absence; he began in Nurkic's place in the Jazz's most recent outing against the Grizzlies. In that game Filipowski contributed an all-around line of 20 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals, and two blocks.
As a note on availability and usage, the matchup combines Houston's scoring struggles, Utah's defensive uptick since February 1, and the potential return of key scorers for Utah. The combination of the Rockets' 12-game inability to reach a 120. 5 team total, Reed Sheppard's recent playmaking, and Lauri Markkanen's scoring form are central inputs for the picks laid out above. A brief site notice also lists the message "429 Too Many Requests" as a headline in the feed. The coverage includes an affiliate disclosure that the site's team may receive compensation if readers sign up through provided links, and it cautions that the content is not intended for use in MA.
For bettors and viewers, the core items to watch before tip-off remain the status of Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen, the expected Filipowski start in place of Jusuf Nurkic, the Rockets' continued offensive slump and Reed Sheppard's playmaking touch. The listed lines and trends above reflect those factors.
