Clippers vs. Rockets Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
It’s now all but a done deal that the Los Angeles Lakers are going to finish with the best record in the Western Conference. Thus, the key for the other contenders out West is to finish either second or third because that would mean avoiding the Lakers until the last possible round, the West Finals. The Clippers, Rockets and Denver Nuggets are juggling for position among spots 2-4.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
This wraps up the season series between the Clippers and Rockets, and Houston leads 2-1 so a victory here would get it a huge potential head-to-head tiebreaker for playoff seeding. Tough to take too much from the first three meetings because they were all played before Christmas. The Rockets are fairly different now with their now mega-small ball lineup.
NBA scoring leader James Harden is averaging 37.3 points and 9.7 assists vs. the Clippers this year. Russell Westbrook 26.3 points and 5.7 rebounds. Clint Capela 15.0 points and 15.7 rebounds, but he was traded last month in that shift to small ball. Paul George leads the Clippers in averaging 26.5 points (two games), while Kawhi Leonard is putting up 25.0 ppg and 9.0 rebounds.
The Rockets have won five of the past eight at home in this series. The teams have split their past 10 overall both straight up and against the spread.
L.A. Clippers
Los Angeles won its fifth in a row Tuesday, 109-94 at Oklahoma City. Leonard had 25 points and eight rebounds. George was held to 16 points and said after he was still a “work in progress” due to so much time missed this season because of injuries.
Montrezl Harrell, one of the best reserves in the NBA and a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, had 16 points in 20 minutes but rolled his ankle. Harrell says he’s fine, but the team could opt to rest him. He’s averaging 18.7 points and 7.1 rebounds. When the Clippers have had every key player available, they are 9-0 this season. Tuesday’s win was Doc Rivers’ 936th as a coach, giving him sole possession of 12th all-time. The Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their past five.
Houston Rockets
Houston’s six-game winning streak ended in a 125-123 upset loss at the Knicks on Monday. Westbrook had a jumper at the free throw line to tie it at the buzzer but missed. Harden had 35 points and eight assists and Westbrook 24 points and nine rebounds. He has scored at least 20 points in a career-high 31 straight games. The Rockets hadn’t lost at Madison Square Garden since January 2009.
With their small ball lineup, the Rockets are going to lose the rebounding battle most nights. But they were destroyed there Monday, 65-34. New York outscored Houston 64-36 in the paint. The Rockets are 21-8 at home this season (15-14 ATS).