Preview: Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns: Player props, injury report and prediction | NBA

Third-placed Houston Rockets, winners of all four meetings with Phoenix last season, visit the 12th-placed Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in the early hours of Sunday morning, UK time.

Houston arrive with a 7-2 record, while the Suns are 2-5 but ended a four-game losing run with a win over Orlando on Thursday.

What does the form say about Rockets vs. Suns?

Form Guide (Last 5)

Houston Rockets

7-2 · 3rd in the West

WLWWL

115.6

PPG

104.8

Opp PPG

+10.8

Diff

2 days

Rest

Phoenix Suns

2-5 · 12th in the West

LLLLW

116.6

PPG

120.8

Opp PPG

-4.2

Diff

1 day

Rest

Houston have won three of their last five, beating Milwaukee, Oklahoma City and Boston, with the defeats coming at Dallas and against Minnesota, while Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant lead the scoring on 22.4 and 20.8 points per game.

Their 3-1 record on the road comes with a scoring differential of +9.5, and all four of those games produced more than 220 combined points, with two of them passing 230.

Phoenix lost to Oklahoma City, Denver, Golden State and Portland in succession before beating Orlando, so the form line is thin even after that win.

Devin Booker was struck on the head during the loss to Portland and returned to finish as the game's leading scorer, and although Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges each average more than 17 points, Jalen Green is next on 11.9, which underlines how much the Suns lean on their lead scorer.

Phoenix conceded 125 or more points in three of their last five games, which fits the gap in defensive rating, even though they scored 114 or more in four of those five games.

Houston also hold a clear rebounding advantage, with Sengun pulling in 9.1 per game, and Phoenix remain without centre Mark Williams, so the interior work falls to Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro.

Phoenix win the turnover row, but their home games have averaged 243.0 combined points and passed 230 in three of four, so ball security alone has not kept scores down.

The Suns also open a five-game home stand here after back-to-back games earlier in the week, whereas Houston have had an extra day of rest and face just this one road game before three in a row at home on the NBA schedule.

Rockets vs. Suns team news and rotations

Steven Adams is out with a calf problem and has made only one appearance this season, while Clint Capela is listed as out with an ankle problem, although his estimated return date is the day of the game.

Sengun is likely to take the centre minutes in a projected starting five completed by Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Durant and Jabari Smith Jr., with Marcus Smart and Reed Sheppard the first guards listed behind them.

Phoenix remain without Williams, who is out with a shoulder problem until February, and Jordan Goodwin and Rasheer Fleming are also listed as out, although their estimated return dates have already passed.

Phoenix started Booker, Green, Brooks, Bridges and Ighodaro against Orlando, yet Maluach is listed at centre on the depth chart, so the starting five is not settled, with Luke Kennard and Collin Gillespie the first guards off the bench.

Rockets vs. Suns key matchups that could decide it

Key Matchups

Backcourt scoring against defensive pressure

Devin Booker

PHX

VS

Amen Thompson

HOU

48.8%

Booker FG%

5.1

Booker APG

15.4

Thompson PPG

1.2

Thompson STL

Booker takes most of Phoenix's creation load, so Thompson's ability to disrupt him decides how much help the Suns' supporting cast must provide.

Frontcourt scoring and size

Kevin Durant

HOU

VS

Miles Bridges

PHX

20.8

Durant PPG

52.7%

Durant FG%

17.4

Bridges PPG

1.6

Bridges STL

Durant is Houston's most efficient scorer among the starters, while Bridges gives Phoenix its best mix of scoring and rebounding.

Booker is the focal point of the Phoenix offence, so how often Thompson, who starts at guard on the projected depth chart, can force him into difficult shots is the first matchup to watch, especially as the other Phoenix guards have been inefficient, with Green on 40.5% from the field and Gillespie on 29.8%.

In the frontcourt, Durant's efficiency meets the size of Bridges, who leads Phoenix's key starters in rebounding, and that duel offers Houston a different route to points, helped by Jabari Smith Jr. spacing the floor at 49.1% from three-point range.

Rockets vs. Suns player props

Each prop below is built on a player whose season and last-five averages both clear the suggested mark.

The samples are small at this stage, with all three players on seven appearances or fewer, so the thresholds are set conservatively.

Player Props to Watch

Devin Booker

PHX

Points Over 22.5

25.4

Season avg

25.0

Last 5 avg

7

GP

His season and last-five scoring both sit clear of this mark, and he carries the Phoenix offence against a Houston defence that gives up few easy looks.

Alperen Sengun

HOU

Assists Over 7.5

8.1

Season avg

9.7

Last 5 avg

7

GP

Houston run their offence through Sengun, and his recent passing output has climbed above his season mark.

Miles Bridges

PHX

Rebounds Over 6.5

7.9

Season avg

7.6

Last 5 avg

7

GP

Bridges is Phoenix's leading rebounder among the key starters and has stayed above this level in both samples.

Rockets vs. Suns head-to-head record

Houston won all four meetings last season, and the closest came on 5 January when the Rockets edged the Suns by three points at home.

The other three were comfortable, with margins of 22, 19 and 14 points, and two of them came in Phoenix.

Rockets vs. Suns prediction and betting tips

Houston are the logical side to back, as their two-way efficiency and rebounding edge outweigh Phoenix's advantage on turnovers and the scoring of Booker, and the Suns have held an opponent below 110 points only once in their last five games.

A win would keep Houston in the top three of the Western Conference standings, while the Suns need to turn one win into a sustained run to climb out of the lower reaches.