Houston Rockets to beat Toronto Raptors -

Having won three in a row and six of their last eight, the Rockets are one of the hottest teams in the NBA at the moment.

They now face the stuttering Raptors, whose overtime win over the mediocre Denver Nuggets on Friday night was their only victory in five games.

Toronto have been worryingly leaky defensively, allowing 100 points or more in each of their last eight matches.

They can’t afford to be so generous on Wednesday night, considering the Rockets currently rank fourth in offensive rating, fifth in points per game and fifth in field goal percentage.

Led by James Harden – who is averaging 28.6 points per game while leading the league in assists – Houston will likely add to their impressive record of four wins and just one defeat at home.

Detroit Pistons to beat Miami Heat -

Admittedly, this looks like a risky pick, considering the Pistons have lost their last four games.

Only two of their nine defeats this season have been in home games, though, and those were against playoff-calibre teams in the Celtics and the Rockets.

The Heat, whose four wins this season are the joint-fewest in the Eastern Conference, are not at that level.

They have scored fewer points per game than all but two teams in the NBA, boast the league’s third-worst field goal percentage, and rank fourth-last in offensive rating.

The Pistons have averaged 100.4 points per game in Detroit this season and just 88.7 against, and that distinct home advantage should give them enough of an edge to break their run of defeats here.

San Antonio Spurs to beat Charlotte Hornets - 

Charlotte enjoyed a surprisingly good start to the season, but their current losing streak of two games should extend to three against the impressive Spurs.

San Antonio have won six games in a row, five of them by a margin of five points or greater.

Their record of 11 wins and three losses is the third-best in the Western Conference, and they have been perfect in away games this season, winning seven of seven.

Both of these teams rank in the top 10 in defensive rating, but it is the Spurs’ offensive superiority that will likely win them this game.

They rank seventh in the NBA in field goal percentage – a category in which the Hornets rank 26th – and first in three-point percentage.

Oklahoma City Thunder to beat Sacramento Kings - 

Oklahoma City have struggled in recent games after a strong start to the season, but should bounce back from Tuesday night’s defeat by beating the defensively-challenged Kings.

Sacramento’s three-point victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday broke a four-game losing run, and they have conceded an average of 110.2 points over those four fixtures.

The Kings have allowed the league’s third-highest field goal percentage this season, while the Thunder are far superior offensively, ranking 11th in points per game to Sacramento’s 23rd.

Oklahoma City point-guard is an almost unstoppable force when driving to the rim, and that should prove the difference against a Kings defence that simply can’t protect its own basket.

Sacramento’s four blocks per game is the joint-lowest mark in the NBA.