Hawks vs. Rockets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Friday, March 20

The Atlanta Hawks are the hottest team in the NBA right now, winning 11 games in a row heading into Friday’s matchup with the Houston Rockets.

Jalen Johnson and the Hawks are within striking distance of a top-six seed in the East, a massive turnaround after a relatively slow start to the 2025-26 season.

Meanwhile, Houston lost back-to-back games to the Los Angeles Lakers to open this week, knocking it down in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets’ offense has been shaky in recent weeks, especially in crunch time, as it ranks in the bottom 10 in the league in clutch offensive rating.

Oddsmakers have the Rockets favored at home in this matchup, but Atlanta is 13-8 against the spread as a road underdog. Can it keep this winning streak going with an upset victory?

Let’s take a look at the latest odds, a player to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Friday’s matchup.

Hawks vs. Rockets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Hawks +3.5 (-102)
Rockets -3.5 (-118)

Moneyline

Hawks: +140
Rockets: -166

Total

228.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Hawks vs. Rockets How to Watch

Date: Friday, March 20
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Toyota Center
How to Watch (TV): NBA TV
Hawks record: 38-31
Rockets record: 41-27

Hawks vs. Rockets Injury Reports

Hawks Injury Report

Jonathan Kuminga -- out
Keshon Gilbert -- doubtful
Asa Newell -- doubtful
RayJ Dennis -- doubtful

Rockets Injury Report

Steven Adams -- out
Jae'Sean Tate -- out
Tristen Newton -- out
Fred VanVleet -- out

Hawks vs. Rockets Best NBA Prop Bet

Note: These prop selections were made before odds were released and are based on past player performance.

Rockets Best NBA Prop Bet

Tari Eason UNDER 3-Pointers Made

Rockets wing Tari Eason is shooting 37.3 percent from beyond the arc in the 2025-26 season, but he’s been in an awful shooting slump this month.

Eason is 0-for-21 from beyond the arc in his last seven games and just 1-for-28 from deep this month (3.6 percent).

Over his last 11 games, Eason has nine without a 3-pointer made. I expect him to limit his shot attempts from deep in this game, and even if he doesn’t, Atlanta is a pretty solid 3-point defense.

The Hawks are 14th in the league in opponent 3-point percentage and 15th in opponent 3s made per game.

Hawks vs. Rockets Prediction and Pick

Atlanta has been really solid on the road this season, going 13-8 against the spread as a road underdog and 19-15 straight up in 34 road games.

The Hawks are fourth in the NBA in net rating over their last 15 games (12-3 during that stretch) while the Rockets are just 17th. Houston has struggled on offense during this 15-game stretch (17th in offensive rating), and I have a hard time laying the points with the Rockets at home.

Houston is 12-19 against the spread as a home favorite (the third-worst record in the NBA), and it’s dropped back-to-back games outright in that spot this week to L.A. On top of that, the Rockets are now just a couple games over .500 against teams that are .500 or better.

I’m not going to take Atlanta to win outright in this game, as it has played a rather easy schedule during this winning streak. However, the Hawks have found their stride at this point in the season and are worth a look to cover as a road dog.

Pick: Hawks +3.5 (-102 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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