Rockets vs. Lakers Point Spread: NBA Odds, Prediction
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Charlie Grant
The Houston Rockets welcome a familiar face back to their lineup when they begin the second half to their regular season when they visit LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lake Show aim to bounce back from a rough patch before the All-Star break and reclaim a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.
NBA Point Spread and Betting Analysis
The Rockets finished the first half of the campaign at 33-24 straight up (SU) and 26-30-1 against the spread (ATS). That’s good enough for first place in the Southwest division, but well off the pace of the club’s 65-win output last season.
Houston is coming off a 121-111 loss to Minnesota despite being listed as a 4-point road favourite. The Rockets have struggled to take off away from Houston all season long. The team is just 13-15 SU and 10-18 ATS away from home.
Even worse for Houston supporters – the Rockets are just 6-12 against the number when giving points on the road.
The Rockets are allowing more than seven points more per game to opponents this year compared to last. Astute NBA total bettors have been able to capitalize on Houston’s struggles to defend. The over is 32-24-1 in the team’s games and 5-2-1 in the last seven contests before the break.
The Los Angeles Lakers went out with a whimper before the All-Star weekend. LA lost outright to the lowly Atlanta Hawks two nights after getting embarrassed by Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Lakers are one of the worst ATS bets in the NBA and they begin the second half of the campaign three games back of the final playoff spot in the West.
Houston Rockets
The one-man show in Houston could be coming to a close soon. James Harden is still a serious contender to win a second consecutive MVP award thanks in large part to his current streak of 31 games with 30 or more points scored.
Chris Paul is back and, while he’s looking a step slower than this time last year, he’s still a threat with the ball in his hands. He’s averaging 17.3 points and 8.2 assists per game this month.
Houston backers are even more excited about the return of Clint Capela. The Rockets’ third star has missed the last 15 games because of a thumb injury. Capela is averaging 17.6 points and 12.6 rebounds this season.
Los Angeles Lakers
The trade deadline came and went, and the Lakers weren’t able to bring in Anthony Davis. Now, LeBron James has to make up with his group of younger teammates who were thrust into trade rumours in the effort to bring the ‘Brow to LA.
The Lakers continue to play without point guard Lonzo Ball. The second-year playmaker is still dealing with a nasty ankle sprain he picked up last month.
