Missing Guys Should Lead To Player Prop Cash

Suns vs. Rockets, 8:00 ET

With the football regular season coming to an end, we can start focusing even more on basketball and hockey before the playoffs start and even while they take place. College Football is almost wrapped, and the NFL Playoffs begin shortly. Soon after, there will be the MLB season starting as pitchers and catchers probably report for Spring Training in as little as six weeks. Plus, we get the World Baseball Classic. So, even though football is winding down, there is plenty to look forward to. Tonight, I'm looking forward to this matchup between the Suns and the Rockets. 

The Suns are coming into this game looking better this year than they did last year when they had Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on their team. I'm not sure if that is because the expectations are substantially lower, if the schedule has just been easier, or if it is because they have more depth now that their team is not top-loaded with big contracts. Whatever the case may be, the Suns are looking solid and even won a game against the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder last night. Jalen Green is still out as well, so that might be a boost to them offensively (even if it sets them back a bit on defense), when he returns. There shouldn't be much question that the team would at least still be competitive with Devin Booker leading the charge. Booker is a very skilled offensive player that is capable of carrying the primary scoring role. That hasn't always resulted in winning, but this year, they are doing just that. 

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets gestures during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on November 24, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

The Rockets are not much better than the Suns, to be honest. We knew it would take a little bit of time for the team to adjust to having Durant in the lineup, but they are just 21-11 for the season, and it probably doesn't help that they don't have a true point guard on their roster. Fred VanVleet was injured in the preseason and he will likely not play at all this year. Still, the team has more than enough talent to make up for his absence, but a point guard is crucial to the success of a team. Just look at the Suns the past few years when they didn't have one. It also is a big problem for them that they are without Alpren Sengun, easily their second-best player. To make matters a bit worse, Steven Adams, their backup center is dealing with an ankle injury of his own. He hasn't played in either of the past two games. If both Sengun and Adams miss the game, expect the Rockets to go with a "small-ball" lineup. 

This leads to a pretty obvious player prop that we can count on hitting tonight. The Rockets, even if Adams comes back, will be at a bit of a disadvantage against the Suns. Mark Williams isn't an overly dominant guy, but he can be a reliable rebounder. He doesn't get a ton of minutes for the team, averaging just under 24 per game, but he is averaging 8.2 rebounds in those games. Over his past six games, he has had eight or more rebounds in five of them. He only had three against Houston in 17 minutes the first time they played, but he did score 10 points. His points have been a little more inconsistent lately, but he is averaging 12.7 for the season. He is getting over 9.5 points per game 66% of the time. I'm going to take his over 16.5 points + rebounds for tonight. I think an injured Adams, or both centers missing, should give him a good chance to cash this at -115. 

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