Rockets vs. Raptors Prediction
With the Raptors playing on back-to-back nights, will the red-hot Rockets cover at 6:00PM ET tonight in Toronto?
According to oddsmakers from online sports book Bovada.lv, the Raptors are now 2.5-point home underdogs versus the Rockets after opening as a 3-point favorite. As for the total, the number hit the board at 227 but has dropped all the way down to 223.5 at the majority of sports books.
James Harden scored 14 points on 5-of-15 from the field in a 100-93 win over the Magic on Friday. He added seven rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in 34 minutes as the Rockets were playing on a road back-to-back. Harden missed all eight attempts from the 3-point line in a down performance, but it was still a big win for Houston.
The Raptors blew a double-digit halftime lead in Chicago on Saturday night, falling to the Bulls 123-118 in overtime. Kyle Lowry scored 27 points with 12 assists, nine rebounds, three steals, one block and two 3-pointers in 44 minutes while DeMar DeRozan scored 36 points with eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in the loss.
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OUR PREDICTION: The Raptors played in Chicago last night, blew a big halftime lead, played in overtime, traveled back to Toronto and now have to play a red-hot Rockets team that has won eight of its last 10 games. Houston is 12-3 against the spread in its last 15 road games, is 5-2 against the number in its last seven games and is 16-5 ATS in its last 21 games playing on one days of rest. The Raptors, meanwhile, are just 2-5 against the spread in their last seven games overall and 0-4 ATS in their last four games after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
SUNDAY NBA PREDICTION: HOUSTON ROCKETS -2.5