Rockets vs. Lakers Prediction: NBA Odds, Point Spread
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Charlie Grant
Daryl Morey is raising the stakes in the uber competitive Western Conference. The Houston GM is shaking up the core of his team once again and the new-look Rockets will be on display when they visit LeBron James and Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Houston enters Thursday’s tilt riding a three-game winning streak and a 6-2 run over its last eight contests. The Rockets are in sixth place in the West and just three games back of the Clippers for second place in the conference.
The long-time Western power owns the fourth shortest odds at +1000 to win the 2020 NBA championship behind the Lakers (+275), Bucks (+280), and Clip Show (+330).
The Rockets are just 2-7 against the spread in their last nine road games, but 5-3 ATS in their last eight overall. The Over is 9-0 in Houston’s last nine games against teams with winning records.
LA has won two games in a row after losing on Saturday to the Portland Trail Blazers in the club’s first game since the death of franchise icon Kobe Bryant. The Lakers lead the West at 38-11 and are on pace to finish the campaign with 64 victories. That would result in a 27-win improvement on the previous season’s tally.
The Purple and Gold took down the Rockets 124-115 last month in the two sides’ lone meeting so far this season. LeBron and Co. have scored 129 points in each of their last two games and played Over the total in 10 of their last 12 matchups.
Houston Rockets
This time last year, Chirs Paul and Clint Capela were the second and third amigos in Houston. Morey traded CP3 for Russell Westbrook during the summer and he traded Capela in a four-team deal that landed the Rockets Robert Covington.
Covington is a 3-and-D wing many teams around the league would love to have on their rosters. Houston should be able to pair Covington with P.J. Tucker to do the bulk of the defensive work while Westbrook and Harden do the heavy lifting on offence.
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James registered his second-highest point total in a game this season when he finished with 36 against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. James tallied his season-high 39 points in a game against the Mavericks way back in November.
James is averaging 25.2 points per game which would be his lowest average since his rookie season. He is, of course, making way for his new teammate Anthony Davis on offence. LBJ – barring a second half collapse – seems destined to finish the season as the league’s leading assist man (10.7 per game).