The Houston Rockets put a 7-7 home record on the line when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Los Angeles is 16-18 this season, including a 6-8 record on the road. The Lakers will operate without Anthony Davis, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, Wayne Ellington, Austin Reaves and Rajon Rondo in this matchup. Houston will be missing Jae'Sean Tate, Garrison Mathews, D.J. Augustin and Kenyon Martin Jr.
Los Angeles is listed as a 5.5-point road favorite, and tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the Over-Under, is 225.5 in the latest odds. Before you make any NBA predictions with the Lakers vs. Rockets match-up, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 11 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 48-24 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Lakers vs. Rockets and locked in its NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Rockets vs. Lakers:
- Lakers vs. Rockets spread: Lakers -5.5
- Lakers vs. Rockets over-under: 225.5 points
- Lakers vs. Rockets money line: Lakers -230, Rockets +190
- LAL: The Lakers are 6-8 against the spread in road games
- HOU: The Rockets are 7-7 against the spread in home games
Why the Lakers can cover
Los Angeles has a rest advantage in this game with Houston on the second night of a back-to-back set. Beyond that, the Lakers are more talented and experienced than the Rockets, and Houston is notably struggling in some pivotal areas of the game. Broadly speaking, the Rockets are near the bottom of the NBA in both offensive and defensive efficiency this season. Houston is dead-last in the league in turnover rate on offense and, while the Rockets get to the free throw line with impressive frequency, Houston is dead-last in free throw accuracy.
Defensively, the Rockets are second-worst in the NBA in preventing free throw attempts, and the Lakers are in the top five in creating trips to the charity stripe. Finally, Houston is second-worst in two-point percentage allowed, and the Lakers are converting more than 53 percent of attempts inside the three-point arc this season.
Why the Rockets can cover
Houston is leading the NBA in free-throw attempts this season, averaging more than 24 per game. That helps to boost efficiency, and the Rockets are in the top eight of the league in 2-point accuracy. Houston is securing more than 27 percent of offensive rebound opportunities, with a top-five mark in the NBA in second-chance points with more than 15 per game.
The Rockets also land in the top ten of the NBA in points in the paint, assist percentage and 3-pointers, forming a strong nucleus offensively. On the other end, Houston is above-average in preventing opponents from making 3-point field goals. In addition, the Rockets can be aggressive against a Lakers team that is currently committing a turnover on well over 15 percent of offensive possessions.
How to make Rockets vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, projecting 215 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time. You can only see the model's picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
