We're got our final prediction and pick of the evening set for you as we turn our attention towards the Western Conference for this Saturday NBA night cap. The Houston Rockets (8-8) will visit the Los Angeles Lakers (11-9) as the teams meet for the third time this season with the series tied at 1-1. Check out our NBA odds series for our Rockets-Lakers prediction and pick.
The Houston Rockets are currently third in the Southwest Division and they'd love to see themselves climb over .500 with a win over the Lakers. They lost by just one point during their last meeting with LA. The meeting before marked a 128-94 win for Houston, so they'll be looking to get back to that tonight.
The Los Angeles Lakers are third in the Pacific Division and they've alternated wins and losses over the last six games. Their last two losses have been double-digit blowouts to the 76ers and Thunder, so they can expect a closer game against Houston as the slight favorites here.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Rockets-Lakers Odds
Houston Rockets: +5 (-112)
Los Angeles Lakers: -5 (-108)
Over: 222.5 (-112)
Under: 222.5 (-108)
How to Watch Rockets vs. Lakers
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET/ 7:30 p.m. PT
TV: Spectrum SportsNets, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Rockets Could Cover The Spread
The Rockets had their best win of the season just three games ago when they stunned the Denver Nuggets 105-86. Jalen Green was sensational in that game and Alperen Sengun added 21 points of his own. They've found two gems in the young tandem and the Rockets' future seems to be looking up after a shaky start to the season. They'll be confident knowing they blew this Lakers team out once before and if they can find their shooting stroke, they could get it done on the road here.
The matchup between Sengun and Anthony Davis will be very interesting to watch as Sengun has been able to thrive on both ends of floor for Houston. He's got a very unique style to his game and his passing abilities open up countless options for his teammates. Expect him to have a solid performance as he's been good against the Lakers this year.
Why The Lakers Could Cover The Spread
The Lakers will have a tough road to the Playoffs having to contend with Sacramento and Phoenix in their division, so they'll need to start winning this early important games against Western powerhouses. Their last loss to the Thunder was particularly bad as they couldn't stop Chet Holmgren and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Anthony Davis is their surest defender and he'll have to return to his DPOY form for this one.
The Laker can cover this spread if they play with their size on the interior. They'll be the bigger teams and they can force Houston to settle for shots from behind the arc. If they can anchor themselves on the defensive end and not send the Rockets to the line, they should be able to come out with this win.
Final Rockets-Lakers Prediction & Pick
Both teams will be rested ahead of this game and it'll be interesting to see how the speed of Houston matches up with the size of Los Angeles. I expect the Rockets to play a solid game inside through Sengun as he'll drive their offensive production tonight. For our prediction, we'll roll with the Houston Rockets to cover the spread.
Final Rockets-Lakers Prediction & Pick: Houston Rockets +5 (-112)
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