Houston Rockets (14-11) vs Portland Trailblazers (14-11)
It is probably not a good sign when the way your team’s makes the national headlines is for having someone step on your power forward’s face.
Wednesday February 8
Rose Garden – Portland, OR
10:00PM
Moneyline: No money line currently listed.
Spread: Portland -7.5
O/U: 198
Houston
All kidding aside the Houston Rockets are firmlyin the West race currently tied for the last couple of playoff spots. Like so many teams this year they are really struggling on the road though.
For what it is worth they beat the Blazers the last time they visited the Rose Garden nearly a year ago.
Did you know that Houston is the sixth best scoring team in the league? Led by spindly guard Kevin Marting they have three players averaging more than 14 points per game.
In fact they are spreading around the minutes liberally with more than 12 players averaging more than 10 minutes of action per game.
This may not be the most talented team in the league but they seem to get some production from whoever they put out there which might be the key to them keeping a hold on that playoff spot.
Portland
This year teams from the West are really cleaning up at home, that is especially true for Portland which is 11-2 with a super strong 10-2-1 ATS record. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Houston might be catching the Blazers at a good time though as one of those home losses was to Oklahoma City on Monday night in overtime.
Speaking of overtime the last time these two teams met Houston squeaked by Portland in overtime in January in front of the Rockets home crowd.
Against OKC forward LaMarcus Aldridge was brilliant scoring a season high 39 points.
But while Kevin Durant was supported by Russell Westbrook in the victory Portland is still looking for a consistent second scorer to emerge. The problem may be too many choices as the Blazers have 5 players averaging between 10 and 14 points on the 5th highest scoring team in the league.
My bet to separate is Jamal Crawford who has been nothing but a scorer everywhere he has been. 13 points per game would be his lowest in 10 years so the potential is there.
Spread Pick: Houston +7.5
O/U Pick: Under
Score Prediction: Portland 101 – Houston 95
