Raptors vs. Rockets Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread

Payton Matthews | Updated Mar 22, 2021

Share this article

With trade rumours swirling around him, Kyle Lowry, who played for Houston from 2008-12, had 18 points and eight rebounds on Sunday against Cleveland.

Toronto
27-45
AT
March 22, 2021, 9:00 PM ET
Toyota Center
Houston
17-55
Pointspread -9 -110
Moneyline -379
Over / Under o +223

39%

Betting Action

61%

Matchup Odds
Pointspread +9 -110
Moneyline +310
Over / Under u +223

39%

Betting Action

61%

Matchup Odds

It’s the second end of a road back-to-back for the free-falling Toronto Raptors on Monday as they visit the Houston Rockets, who are on an epic losing streak themselves. Toronto opened as an 8.5-point favourite on the NBA odds with a total of 222.5.

NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis

A road back-to-back is the biggest challenge any NBA team can face, but if a team had to pick one this season, going to Cleveland (as the Dinos did Sunday) and then Houston would probably be the top choice. Alas, things didn’t go well in Cleveland.

The Rockets are an utter disaster and in complete tanking mode in order to finish with one of the three worst records in the league and a top chance at the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and a shot at Oklahoma State star freshman Cade Cunningham or USC freshman Evan Mobley.

Houston already traded James Harden and Russell Westbrook this season and continued the fire sale last week by shipping PJ Tucker to Milwaukee. Victor Oladipo, acquired earlier this year from Indiana as part of the Harden trade, could be next. The NBA Trade Deadline is Thursday. Essentially, this team is now John Wall, Oladipo and centre Christian Wood, who is the only building block.

Toronto goes for the season sweep as it handled the Rockets 122-111 as 6.5-point favourites in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 26. That was the start of the Dinos’ COVID-19 issues as they played without Pascal Siakam, as well as head coach Nick Nurse and much of his staff. Kyle Lowry had a triple-double of 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Norman Powell had 30 points and Fred VanVleet 25. Oladipo had 27 points and Wall 21 for Houston, which was without Wood back then due to injury (back now).

In their past 10 trips to Houston, meanwhile, the Raptors are 4-6 straight up and against the spread. The total has gone over in the previous four games there.

Toronto Raptors

Toronto lost its eighth in a row on Sunday, 116-105 in Cleveland – the Dinos were .500 before this streak started but now their playoff hopes are fading amid rumours of a possible Kyle Lowry trade to Miami. Lowry, who played for Houston from 2008-12, had 18 points and eight rebounds on Sunday but was 5-for-14. Fred VanVleet had 23 points but was 8-for-24 and 5-for-15 from deep. The eight-game skid is the team’s longest since January 2012. Pascal Siakam had just nine points and hasn’t looked 100 per cent back to game shape since missing a few weeks in COVID protocols. The Dinos are 2-5 ATS in their past seven in the second of a back-to-back.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets lost their team-record 20th in a row – yes, 20th – on Sunday, 114-112 at home to Oklahoma City. That was actually a rare close game for them. John Wall had 24 points, seven assists and three steals in the loss but typically doesn’t play both ends of a back-to-back so he likely will not take the court Monday. Wall missed two shots in the final 10 seconds against OKC. Victor Oladipo had 23 points but often doesn’t play both ends of a B2B, either. DJ Augustin, acquired in that PJ Tucker trade with the Bucks, missed Sunday with a stomach bug. Houston’s losing streak is tied for the ninth-worst in NBA history and the longest since Philadelphia’s record-setting 28-game losing streak across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons. The Rockets, 4-10 ATS in their past 14 in the second of a back-to-back, have no Canadian players on their roster.

NBA Score Prediction: Who Will Win Raptors vs. Rockets?

NBA Predictions
SportsInteraction
  • TOR
  • -9 +9
  • HOU
Matchup NBA Odds