Rockets vs Trail Blazer Odds
The Houston Rockets haven’t made it easy on the Portland Trail Blazers, but you wouldn’t know it by the series total through four games. At this point, Portland has a 3-1 series lead, but two of those wins have come in overtime.[ad-4468020]
In fact, the one loss also came in overtime, making this arguably the most exciting series so far in the 2014 NBA playoffs.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets Game 5 Preview
No. 5 Portland (3-1) @ No. 4 Houston (1-3)
Wednesday, April 30 6:30 PM ET (TNT)
Toyota Center in Houston, TX
Spread: Houston -5.5
Total: 213.5
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Portland
The Blazers enter this contest with one goal in mind, and while it’s the same goal as the before, they’re officially one step away from making it happen: reach the second round for the first time since the 1999-00 season.
In order for Portland to steal another one on the road, the team must keep James Harden to another inefficient night. His numbers have been solid when looking at raw points, but Wesley Matthews has done what’s necessary to keep him off his game in terms of field-goal percentage.
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Containing Dwight Howard is also important, but we’ve seen thus far that Houston simply can’t win when Harden shoots a terrible percentage.
Offensively, look for LaMarcus Aldridge to get back to where he was in Games 1 and 2 of this series.
That’s not necessarily meaning he’ll score 46 points; it means he’ll be aggressive going to the rim and confident in his shot whether it’s Howard, Omer Asik or Terrence Jones defending him.
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Consider Mo Williams and Thomas Robinson the X-factors in this one. Robinson will bring the energy, while Williams will bring either good or bad shooting.
Houston
It’s do or die time for the Houston Rockets. In order to avoid going home in the first round, this team must win the next three. It’s easier said than done, but as one of the greatest movies of our time so eloquently said, “You’re telling me there’s a chance.”
As stated above, the Rockets need to get James Harden going.
In Game 2, Dwight Howard went on a tear in the first quarter and fans got excited every time he touched the ball. Unfortunately for Clutch City, Howard’s hot start took away from Harden’s momentum, meaning they should give it the opposite go this time around.
Defensively, stopping Aldridge is important – as well as Damian Lillard – but it’s the role players who are stepping up unexpectedly.
Wesley Matthews finally had his first good shooting game in Game 4, Nicolas Batum has stepped up in the last two and, again, as previously mentioned, Mo Williams can be a difference maker.
Unfortunately for Houston, it just hasn’t looked as cohesive of a basketball team as the Blazers.
The team aspect hasn’t been there, and the consistency hasn’t been there.
This may be the first game of the series decided by double digits, and it just might going against the Rockets.
Prediction: Portland 117 – Houston 104
