Lakers at Rockets: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com
Los Angeles at Houston Rockets (+6, 212)
The Los Angeles Lakers have been losing games at a fast pace, and now they also are rapidly losing players. The Lakers will be without center Dwight Howard (shoulder) and forwards Pau Gasol (concussion) and Jordan Hill (hip) when they visit the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. Howard suffered his injury on Friday, while Gasol and Hill were hurt two days later. Houston can match its season-high five-game winning streak with a victory.
Howard matched a career high with 26 rebounds in Sunday’s game against the Denver Nuggets despite his ailing right shoulder. But he aggravated the injury, and an MRI exam found he has a torn labrum. Rookie Robert Sacre was recalled from the D-League and will start against the Rockets. The Lakers have lost three straight games and four of five. “At some point, you hit rock bottom and then the only place you can go is up,” guard Kobe Bryant said. The Rockets are 13-6 at home and are averaging 113.5 points during their four-game winning streak. The teams have split two meetings this season.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (15-18, 13-19-1 ATS): Point guard Steve Nash is just five assists away from becoming the fifth player in NBA history to reach 10,000 in his career. The former star at Santa Clara put the approaching milestone in perspective. “Obviously, to have one scholarship offer, to play in the NBA as long as I have and be on the list with people like Magic Johnson is beyond my wildest dreams,” Nash said. “I grew up watching Magic on TV and idolizing him, so to be right there with him on that list is incredibly special, humbling and a tribute to the opportunity to play with a lot of great players in my career.” John Stockton is the all-time leader, followed by Jason Kidd, Mark Jackson and Johnson.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (20-14, 20-13-1 ATS): James Harden was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season after averaging 29.3 points, 5.5 assists and 3.3 steals during Houston’s perfect week. Harden has scored 25 or more points in 12 consecutive games. He is averaging 26.4 points but just 17.5 in the two games against the Lakers. “They’re still a great team, no matter what their record is,” Harden said. “It’s going to be a tough matchup for us.” Harden has 11 outings of 30 or more points. Forward Chandler Parsons missed Monday's practice with an illness and is questionable for Tuesday night. Parsons is averaging 14 points and six rebounds this season.
TRENDS:
* Over is 8-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Houston.
* Home team is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
* Lakers are 2-6 ATS in the last eight meetings.
* Lakers are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings in Houston.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Houston has won three of the last four meetings.
2. The Rockets are 13-6 at home while the Lakers are a meager 5-10 on the road.
3. Bryant has scored 27 or more points in 17 consecutive games.
Tuesday’s NBA Point Spreads and Betting Guide
By: The Linemakers
Sportingnews.com
LAS VEGAS --The Los Angeles Lakers get ready to take the Texas two-step with almost half their regular rotation out indefinitely. Dwight Howard (shoulder), Pau Gasol (concussion) and Jordan Hill (hip) will miss the short trip that begins tonight in Houston and ends tomorrow in San Antonio. It doesn’t get any easier when they return home Friday to face the Thunder.
Those are three very good basketball teams the Lakers will have to play in a row without three of their regulars, and they are already down in the dumps, sitting three games below .500.
Starting at center tonight will be rookie Robert Sacre, who the Lakers just recalled from NBA’s D-League. There was even some talk in Lakers-land that Metta World-Peace might log some minutes at center (via the L.A. Times’ Mike Bresnahan), showing just how thin they are down low.
Antawn Jamison has complained about his lack of playing time, and he’ll get a chance to prove that coach Mike D’Antoni has been wrong by not giving him more minutes. Jamison will now be needed to play the bulk of minutes at power forward, with Gasol and Hill out with injuries. We might even see Earl Clark and Devin Ebanks get some minutes.
The injuries will hurt the Lakers' chances of catching up with the playoff pack in the West, but let’s face it – they lost three games in a row with those three players active and are only 15-18 on the season.
The Lakers also have fared poorly in Houston, failing to cover six of their last seven games there, including a 107-105 loss as a 1-point underdog on Dec. 4. Facing Lakers-lite tonight, the Rockets are 7-point home favorites, which might be a little high. The Rockets are going to want to run, which will be just fine with the Lakers, and an uptempo might even make guards Jodie Meeks and Darius Morris more productive.
Here are news, trends and lines for all of Tuesday’s NBA action for you to consider.
* The Nets have covered only one of their last five road games. The 76ers have covered just three of their last 10 following a loss. The Nets and 76ers have gone UNDER the total in nine of their last 11 meetings in Philadelphia. The 76ers are -2, with a total of 187, at home tonight. This game is being played as an unidentified Nets player is reportedly being questioned in connection with an alleged sexual assault that took place early Tuesday morning at a Philadelphia hotel.
* The Heat have covered only once – their last game – in their last six. However, they have covered six of their last eight meetings with the Pacers in Indiana. The Heat are 2.5-point road favorites, and the total is 187.
* The Suns are 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against Eastern Conference teams. The Bucks have covered five of their last six games against losing teams. The Suns have covered their past four meetings with the Bucks. The Bucks, who will be coached by Jim Boylan after mutually parting way with Scott Skiles, are -6 with a total of 199.
* The T’Wolves have covered four of their last five home games against teams with a winning road record. The Hawks have failed to cover their last four road games against teams with a winning record, but they have covered their last six games in Minnesota. The T’Wolves are 1-point favorites, with a total of 189.
* The Lakers have covered only seven of their last 23 road games, and the Rockets have covered 10 of their last 11 games. The Lakers have gone OVER the total in their last four road games, as well as eight of the last nine meetings with the Rockets. The Rockets are -7.5, with a total of 219.5, tonight
NBA injuries:
* Heat forward LeBron James (ankle) is probable.
* Nets forward Kris Humphries (ankle) missed Brooklyn’s last game and is questionable tonight.
* T’Wolves forward Kevin Love (hand) is OUT indefinitely.
* T’Wolves guard Ricky Rubio (back) missed Minnesota’s last four games and is probable tonight.
* Lakers center Dwight Howard (shoulder) is OUT indefinitely.
* Lakers forward Pau Gasol (concussion) is OUT indefinitely.
* Lakers forward Jordan Hill (hip) is OUT indefinitely.
* Rockets forward Chandler Parsons (flu) is questionable.