The Houston Rockets will take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Rockets-Nuggets prediction and pick.

These teams have had vastly different seasons. The Rockets knew this season would be a rebuilding one, and they've certainly fulfilled that expectation. Houston is currently 15-47, a mark that is the second-worst in the entire NBA. The Nuggets, on the other hand, are a strong 36-26. Denver is currently the sixth seed in the hotly contested Western Conference, in large part due to the fantastic play of center Nikola Jokic. This game is a huge opportunity for the Nuggets to gain ground on the fifth seed, so there's plenty at stake in this one.

Here are the Rockets-Nuggets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.

NBA Odds: Rockets-Nuggets Odds

Houston Rockets: +13.5 (-110)

Denver Nuggets: -13.5 (-110)

Over: 239 (-110)

Under: 239 (-110)

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Why The Rockets Could Cover The Spread

The Houston offense should perform fairly well in this matchup. While their numbers on the season aren't great, they've played well offensively in four of their last six games, including a 127-point overtime showing against the Utah Jazz. The Nuggets have been giving up tons of points lately, as they've allowed 109 points or more in five of their last seven games. Denver has also struggled defensively throughout the season, giving up a 46% shooting percentage from the field. This matchup isn't as bad as it looks for the Rockets, especially on offense.

While the Nuggets have a great record, their numbers against the spread aren't nearly as good. Denver is 29-33 ATS on the year, and 9-14 when they enter the game as a home favorite. This is also a huge spread, something that the Nuggets have struggled to cover recently. The last three times they've been favored by 9.5 or more, they've failed to cover. There's some hope that the Rockets can pull off a cover in this game.

Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread

Denver is the statistically superior team in nearly every category here, and those statistical edges should shine through on the offensive end. The Nuggets score 11o points per game and average some of the best shooting numbers in the NBA. It'll also help that the Rockets are one of the worst defenses in the league. Houston allows a whopping 118 points per game while allowing their opponents to shoot 48% from the field. Both of those numbers are downright awful, so the Nuggets shouldn't have too much trouble scoring here.

Home court advantage will certainly play a big part in this game. The Nuggets have had more success at home than on the road this season, as shown by their 17-11 record at home and their 19-15 record on the road. The Rockets obviously haven't really been winning anywhere, but they do have a higher winning percentage at home than on the road. The Nuggets should be able to defend their home court capably here.

Final Rockets-Nuggets Prediction & Pick

This spread is a little too big to justify a bet on the Nuggets. They've struggled to cover in games with similar spreads all year, and the Rockets haven't been playing terribly lately. Take Houston to cover.

Final Rockets-Nuggets Prediction & Pick: Houston Rockets: +13.5 (-110)