Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers Pick & Preview
The Houston Rockets (52-28) and Los Angeles Lakers (49-31) will battle for the third and final time during the regular season on Friday, April 11 at 10:30 PM ET at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. MyBookie has the Lakers as favorites with a point spread at -9.5 (-115).
Houston Rockets Betting Preview
The Rockets have gone 3-2 in their latest five-game stretch. Their recent battle was a 134-117 blowout against the Los Angeles Clippers, which snapped their three-game win streak.
Reed Sheppard led with 20 points on 50.0 percent shooting from the field. A handful of players could be missing from this matchup due to various injuries and rest before the playoffs. Keep an eye on players such as Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Alperen Sengun.
Houston shot 51.1 percent from the field and made half of their three point shots. They allowed the Clippers to make 53.3 percent of their shots and 51.4 percent from deep. This game was close on paper, with key differences being free throws and accurate shooting from the Clippers.
The Rockets rank 13th in the league for averaging 114.4 points per game. On defense they have allowed opposing teams to 109.2 points per game, ranking fifth. Their offense has been solid, but will need to make the jump to more efficiency in order to have a deeper run in the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
The Lakers are 3-2 in their last five games and have completed a three-game road stretch. Their recent battle was a 112-97 victory against the Dallas Mavericks.
Luka Doncic stood out in his return to Dallas where he posted 45 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and led in all three categories for the Lakers. In addition, the Lakers claimed a playoff spot and can look to make final adjustments as the regular season is close to wrapping up.
Los Angeles connected on 46.7 percent of their shots while making 33.3 percent of their threes. They allowed the Mavs to make half of their shot attempts and 34.6 percent from long range. The Mavs turned it over 20 times and it resulted in 25 points for the Lakers.
The Lakers are averaging 113.5 points a game and rank 19th for this effort. Their defense is allowing 112.2 points a game from opposing teams each game and ranks 11th. This ratio does not offer a lot of room for error.
Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick
The best Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers betting odds can be found through MyBookie, who currently has the Lakers as 9.5-point favorites. The Lakers have a 67.7 percent likelihood of winning this matchup according to market analysis.
The Rockets have several key players listed as a game time decision, while the Lakers are appealing at home (30-10). Look for the Lakers to cover the spread.
Final Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -9.5 (-115)
