Free NBA Pick: Rockets vs. Blazers NBA Odds
Looking for Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Rockets taking on the Blazers on Saturday, December 26, 2020 at Moda Center. 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 Blazers matchup.
2020 NBA Handicapping
(0-0) Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers (0-0)
Date: Wednesday, December 23
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Venue: The Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
NBA Moneyline Odds: Rockets +315 | Blazers -331
NBA Betting Odds: Rockets +7.5 | Blazers -7.5
NBA Betting Total: 226
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Saturday, December 26th finds the Houston Rockets playing in a Boxing Day match versus their Western Conference rivals the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Rockets hold the all-time record between the clubs with 111 wins in 200 meetings. Last season, the clubs played four times with the Blazers taking three of the meetings.
Houston Rockets
This will be the season opener or the Rockets who had to postpone their season and home opener on Wednesday due to not having the minimum number of eight players available.
James Harden had to go into quarantine after putting pictures on social media of himself attending an indoor party or more than the allowable 15 people without wearing a mask defying the NBA COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
He was fined $50,000 and had to quarantine for four days providing negative tests on each day to be cleared to rejoin the team.
In addition, two players (Ben McLemore and Kenyon Martin Jr.) tested positive for COVID-19 and several others entered quarantine due to contact tracing.
Of those being quarantined are DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall who went with Martin to get their hair cut and were therefore exposed. The other two players being held out are Eric Gordon and Mason Jones
That means Houston will arrive in Portland with nine players one more than the minimum due to the six players who are ruled out.
Ironically, with Harden still pushing for a trade news surfaced he’s added two more teams to his preferred list including the Blazers and Celtics. That should make for a dramatic game.
Portland Trail Blazers
For the first time in six years Damian Lillard was held scoreless in a half and that was likely the difference in the Blazers’ first game of the season. The final score of 120-100 was almost kind based on how dominant the Jazz were.
But it was one game and this narrator for one still believes the Blazers are the dark horse in the West to be a major factor once they regain their chemistry and integrate all the players back and/or in their new lineups.
Five Blazers scored in double-digits but only McCollum (23) broke the twenty point barrier.
Terry Stotts is going to need to figure out how to handle his second unit because while Carmelo Anthony (15) and Enes Kanter (14) can score that unit is problematic defensively.
Jusuf Nurkic (13) and Gary Trent Jr. (11) were the other double-figure contributors.
Harry Giles (3), Robert Covington (1), and Rodney Hood (0) all had subpar games which isn’t something that should be a long-term problem.
Additionally, the Blazers were missing the contributions of Anfernee Simons (hamstring), Nassir Little (personal) who are questionable for Saturday. Zach Collins (ankle) won’t be available until the end of January.
NBA Betting Trends:
- Under is 7-1 in HOU last 8 overall.
- Over is 26-12 in POR last 38 overall
- Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings.
Free Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers NBA Prediction:
With Houston missing the majority of their core this should be an opportunity for the Blazers to get back on track and find their flow on both sides of the hardwood. As long as Portland doesn’t fall victim to the playing down to a hobbled squad they’ll be fine.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Blazers ATS
Look for Covington to spend ample time guarding Harden to ensure he doesn’t get into an offensive flow.
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