Free NBA Pick: Rockets vs. Trail Blazers NBA Odds
Looking for Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Rockets taking on the Trail Blazers on Friday, October 28, 2022 at the Moda Center in Portland, OR. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Rockets Trail Blazers matchup.
2022 NBA Handicapping
(1-4) Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers (4-1)
Date: Friday, October 28
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Venue: Moda Center, Portland, OR
NBA Moneyline Odds: Rockets +205 | Trail Blazers -245 (Bet Now!)
NBA Betting Odds: POR -6.5
NBA Betting Total: TBD
The Trail Blazers enter this contest coming off their first loss of the year. Wednesday night they faced the Miami Heat at Moda Center, landing on the wrong-side of a 119-98 trouncing.
The big story in that one was Damian Lillard leaving mid-game with a calf strain.
Houston comes into this one also fresh off a loss to the Utah Jazz, 109-101.
At one point in that game, the Rockets were down by 19 in the third quarter but rallied to get it within two points approaching 5:00 in the fourth. But over the final 5:38, Houston scored just two buckets—a classic rally-and-expire sequence from a young, excited, but inexperienced team.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets haven’t fared well straight up early in 2022-23, going 1-4 overall. But the team is 3-1-1 against the spread using brief but spirited offensive bursts that help cover.
Although the sample size is small early in the year, Houston ranks 21st in Defensive Efficiency as of this writing on Thursday. The team is also 22nd in points per game allowed, giving up 117.6 points on average.
Offensively Houston isn’t fairing any better, sitting in 21st at 109.8 points per contest. The team is also way down at No. 26 in Offensive Efficiency, scoring just 104.2 points per 100 possessions.
Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers will be without Damian Lillard in this one. His status early Thursday was day-to-day, but reports have since come out stating he’ll be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks.
Schedule-wise, that works out okay for Portland, who already has a massive gap between Friday night’s contest and then it’s next game—a Wednesday ESPN showdown versus Memphis. The question, of course, is whether or not this team is built to survive any absence at all from its undisputed leader.
On the season, Portland ranks 6th in Offensive Efficiency—a tie with the Minnesota Timberwolves, with both teams scoring 112.2 points per 100 possessions.
Defensively, the Blazers look improved from years past despite their recent blowout loss, sitting in the No. 12 spot in Defensive Efficiency.
NBA Betting Trends:
- Rockets are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Under is 6-0 in Trail Blazers last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 7-0 in Trail Blazers last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 11-4 in the last 15 meetings.
- Under is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Portland.
Free Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Prediction:
Last season, when Lillard sat, the Blazers fell apart. They ended up leading one of the league’s most shameless tank jobs post-All-Star, but even when they were trying to win shorthanded, the mountain proved too steep to climb.
This season, the Blazers seem—at least on paper—better equipped to handle that adversity. And Friday is their chance to prove it.
With the Rockets—a non-contender—in town, look for young up-and-comers like Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe to steal the show. Jerami Grant should continue being in the right spots on both sides of the court. Maybe above all else, keep an eye on Josh Hart in virtually every stat across the box score.
Blazers should win this one without their star, and they’ll do it in pretty convincing fashion.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Trail Blazers -6.5
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