Rockets vs. Hawks Prediction and Odds for January 28: Can Houston Get Two Wins In Two Nights

The Houston Rockets (31-14) will visit the Atlanta Hawks (22-24) in a make-up matchup between cross-conference opponents.

The Rockets took down the defending champion Boston Celtics via an Amen Thompson game-winning shot with 1.1 seconds remaining last night. They’re 16-6 on the road and won three straight games against Eastern Conference opponents, all three coming against the Celtics or the conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Hawks are holding onto ninth in the standings but lost five straight games, the most recent a 100-92 result on the road against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Stars Trae Young and Jalen Johnson are questionable, but the team desperately needs a win regardless. 

Here, we will break down the odds and share our favorite Rockets vs. Hawks betting picks for Tuesday night.

Rockets vs. Hawks Betting Odds for Tuesday, January 28

The Rockets are 27-17-1 (61.4 percent) against the spread, a league-bestg 15-6-1 (71.4 percent) ATS on the road, and 18-13 (58.1 percent) ATS as a favorite.

The Hawks are 19-27 (41.3 percent) ATS, 8-13 (38.1 percent) ATS at home, and 15-12 (55.6 percent) ATS as an underdog.

Rockets vs. Hawks Prediction

Houston Rockets Preview

What happened last night was unexpected, but in the best way possible—not because the Rockets don’t have the talent or discipline to beat the Celtics, but because of how they did it.

Dillon Brooks and sophomore Amen Thompson combined to score 69 points and lift the team past the champs, while the main scoring trio of Jalen Green, Alepren Sengun, and Fred VanVleet only had 30 points on 28.1 percent shooting.

Brooks and Thompson averaged a combined 26.7 points for the year. Thompson still has not developed a refined jump shot, so a night like the one he just had is encouraging for his personal development and promising for the long-term future of the franchise.

Looking at the team comprehensively, the Rockets are fourth in offensive and 22nd in defensive rating in 2025. That’s a sharp deviation from their traditional course, as they’re fourth in DEFENSIVE and ninth in offensive rating for the season.

The main culprit in their defensive struggles as of late is their shoddy three-point defense. They allowed opponents to shoot 40 percent from three in the New Year, the second-worst mark in the league.

While that’s discouraging, Houston is also first in rebound rate both in January and for the year overall. They also lead the league in second-chance points and are second in fastbreak points, third in fastbreak points allowed, fourth in opponents’ points off turnovers, and seventh in points off turnovers.

A point of concern is that Houston is only 3-5 straight-up on the second night of a back-to-back. However, they're still the clear-cut better team.

Atlanta Hawks Preview

When will this cycle of mediocrity for the Hawks end? They’ve been stuck on a hamster wheel chasing a piece of cheese since they shockingly made a run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Hawks made the Play-In Tournament the following three seasons and now sit ninth in the standings, putting them on track for yet another win-and-get-in scenario.

There’s no identity with this Atlanta team. They’re 27th in offensive and 12th in defensive rating in 2025, resulting in a -7.0 net rating (26th).

They’re now 22nd in offensive and 16th in defensive rating for the year, to go with a -2.7 net rating (21st).

Trae Young leads the league in assists per game but is asked to carry an extraordinary amount of the playmaking burden. Rookie first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher has been nothing more than average at best, and Most Improved player Candidate Jalen Johnson has missed time with an injury.

The Hawks have enough shooting and versatility to be better than they have been on both ends, which makes their consistent mediocrity all the more frustrating. To make matters even worse, they allowed their opponents to shoot the third-highest percentage from three (37.6) and are only 24th in three-point percentage themselves (34.6), giving their opponents a clear mathematical advantage nearly every time they step onto the court. 

To put a bow on everything, the Hawks’ -2.7 net rating is exactly the same at home and on the road. Meanwhile, the Rockets’ +6.5 road net rating is third in the sport.

Use WSNSPORTS at BetMGM for $1,500 Bonus

Rockets vs. Hawks Betting Pick

• Rockets vs. Hawks pick: Hawks +6.5 (-118) at BetMGM

The Rockets are better than the Hawks across the board, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

What could make this matchup closer than many would expect is that the Rockets struggled on the second night of back-to-backs, and their usual leading scorers were all off the mark last night. They also had to put in 48 minutes of true effort to take down a team as tough as the Celtics.

The Hawks’ losing streak won’t inspire much confidence, but it will make them desperate. Assuming Johnson and Young play, we believe the Hawks can cover (and probably still lose).

Claim $1,500 in Bonus Bets at BetMGM

How to Watch Rockets vs. Hawks on 1/28/25

• When: Tuesday, January 28 @ 7:30 p.m. ET

• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

• TV: NBA League Pass

More NBA Bets and Picks Today

Lakers vs. 76ers Same Game Parlay

NBA Player Props and Best Bets for January 28