The Los Angeles Lakers will face the Houston Rockets today. Come to South Texas with us as we share our NBA odds series, make a Lakers-Rockets prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
The Lakers are coming off a 123-111 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Initially, the Lakers trailed 65-55 at the half. But they rallied to beat the Wolves with a strong second half. Ultimately, Anthony Davis had another monster game with 38 points and 17 rebounds. LeBron James added 18 points, while Austin Reaves added 15 points and six rebounds. Likewise, D'Angelo Russell added 12 points against his former team, while Jarred Vanderbilt had 12 points. The Lakers shot 50 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Also, they won the battle of the boards 53-39.
The Rockets defeated the Detroit Pistons 121-115. Ultimately, it was a strong fourth quarter that helped propel them to a rare victory. Kevin Porter Jr. had 33 points, while Jalen Green added 32. Additionally, Kenyon Martin had 15 points, and Jabari Smith added 13. The Rockets shot 45.8 percent from the field. Also, they shot 35.5 percent from the triples. The Rockets also won the battle of the boards 46-40.
The Lakers come into this season with a record of 39-38 and are over the .500 mark for the first time this season. Also, the Lakers are 6-4 over 10 games. The Lakers are 18-20 on the road. Meanwhile, the Rockets are 19-59 and have the worst record in basketball. The Rockets are 3-7 over 10 games. Furthermore, the Rockets are 13-26 at home.
The Lakers and Rockets have split the season series. Ultimately, the Rockets won the previous matchup in a game where the Lakers did not have James or Davis available.
Here are the Lakers-Rockets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Lakers-Rockets Odds
Los Angeles Lakers: -11.5 (-110)
Houston Rockets: +11.5 (-110)
Over: 236.5 (-110)
Under: 236.5 (-110)
How To Watch Lakers vs. Rockets
TV: Sportsnet, Sportsnet-LA
Stream: NBA
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The Lakers are getting hot at the right time as they try to move up the standings and avoid the play-in. Now, they have their entire lineup ready to roll and make a mark against the worst team in the association.
James is back and leads the Lakers with 29 points per game. Now, he looks to stay healthy and hit his shots. Davis averages 26.3 points per game. However, he must remain healthy. Russell has been a great addition to the Lakers and averages 18 points per game. Today, he looks to be that third weapon in the lineup. Dennis Schroder averages 12.8 points, while Reaves has 12.4 points per game. Furthermore, the bench averages 40 points per game but has slowed down since James returned, only averaging 27.7.
The Lakers are 10th in field goal shooting percentage and 26th from the triples. Likewise, they are 20th from the charity stripe. The Lakers are also good on the boards, ranking sixth in rebounds. However, they are not the best at ball handling, ranking 17th in turnovers. The Lakers are also 16th in blocked shots, displaying inconsistency on the defensive end.
The Lakers will cover the spread if they can hit their shots. Then, they must avoid turnovers. The Lakers tend to lose when they commit more than 15 turnovers. Therefore, if they can keep that number down, they will win.
Why The Rockets Could Cover The Spread
The Rockets are a bad team. However, there is some hope for their future. Green averages 22 points, while Porter averages 19 points per game. Likewise, Sengun averages 14.7 points per game. Martin averages 12.7 points per game. However, the bench only musters 32.2 points per game.
These players lead a Houston team that is 26th in field goal shooting percentage and 30th from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, the Rockets are also 25th from the charity stripe. The Rockets have great rebounding, ranking fourth on the glass. However, the Rockets also struggling at ball handling, ranking 29th in turnovers. They also rank 16th in turnovers.
The Rockets will cover the spread if they can control the turnovers. Furthermore, they must stop Davis and James while forcing the Lakers to turn the ball over. It is the best chance to beat the Lakers.
Final Lakers-Rockets Prediction & Pick
The Lakers will want to avenge that embarrasing loss from a few weeks ago. Therefore, with the power of their full squad, expect the Lakers to come out with a vengeance and score in bunches. This feels like a big Lakers victory that may move the purple and gold into sixth place.
Final Lakers-Rockets Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles Lakers: -11.5 (-110)
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