[ad_1]
Third quarter report
The Rockets already have more points against the Lakers than they had total against the Nets on Saturday. The Rockets are well ahead with a 108-84 lead over the Lakers.
The Rockets came into the matchup with extra motivation after the loss they suffered the last time these two teams met. We’ll see if they are able to turn the script around or if it will simply be more of the same.
Who is playing
Los Angeles Lakers @ Houston Rockets
Current records: Los Angeles 24-23, Houston 21-24
How to watch
- When: Monday, January 29, 2024 at 8 pm Eastern Time
- Where: Toyota Center – Houston, Texas
- TELEVISION: Space City Home Network
- Continue: CBS Sports App
- Online transmission: fuboTV (Try it for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $57.00
What to know
The Rockets will be in front of their home fans on Monday, but a look at the layout shows they could use that home-field advantage. They will face the Los Angeles Lakers at 8:00 pm ET on Monday.
Last Saturday was a close matchup, but Houston had to settle for a 106-104 loss against Brooklyn. The close game was very heartbreaking for the Rockets, who nearly overcame a 28-point deficit.
Although they lost, the Rockets broke the offensive glass and finished the game with 15 offensive rebounds. They easily outscored their opponents in that department, as the Nets only grabbed two offensive rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Lakers scored the most points they’ve had all season to achieve success on Saturday. Not to be outdone by Golden State, Los Angeles beat Golden State on a last-second free throw courtesy of LeBron James with just one second left in the sixth quarter. The bettors set the bar high with 246 points over/under, but they still managed to beat it.
It was another great night for James, who had a triple-double with 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists. Those 20 rebounds set a new mark for him, the best mark of the season. The team also had the help of Anthony Davis, who had a double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds.
Houston has been struggling recently, as they have lost six of their last eight matchups, making a notable dent in their 21-24 record this season. As for Los Angeles, their victory ended a four-game road drought and puts them at 24-23.
In this contest, the number of possessions is likely to be an important factor: the Rockets have not given the ball away easily this season, having averaged just 12.3 turnovers per game. It’s not that the Lakers have problems in that department, however, as they have averaged just 13.9 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
While only the Lakers took care of their fans the last time they played, both teams pleased bettors by covering the spread. Going forward, they are expected to win a close competition unless someone beats the buzzer. Bettors picking them against the spread have some confidence (to put it mildly), as the team is on a four-game streak of failing to cover when playing as a road favorite.
Odd
Los Angeles is a slight 1-point favorite against Houston, at last report. NBA Odds.
The bettors were in line with the betting community in this case, as the game started with a 1 point difference and stayed there.
The over/under is set at 230.5 points.
See NBA selections for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get Picks Now.
History of the series
Los Angeles has won 7 of its last 10 games against Houston.
- December 2, 2023 – Los Angeles 107 vs. Houston 97
- November 19, 2023 – Los Angeles 105 vs. Houston 104
- November 8, 2023 – Houston 128 vs. Los Angeles 94
- April 2, 2023 – Los Angeles 134 vs. Houston 109
- March 15, 2023: Houston 114 vs. Los Angeles 110
- January 16, 2023: Los Angeles 140 vs. Houston 132
- March 9, 2022 – Houston 139 vs. Los Angeles 130
- December 28, 2021: Los Angeles 132 vs. Houston 123
- November 2, 2021 – Los Angeles 119 vs. Houston 117
- October 31, 2021: Los Angeles 95 vs. Houston 85
[ad_2]
Source link