The Portland Trail Blazers take the court for just their third game in the past 10 days when they visit the streaking Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
Houston has won three in a row heading into this matchup with Portland, covering in each of those outings. And while those victories did come against weaker competition, oddsmakers opened the Rockets as 2-point NBA betting favorites and they’ve been bet up to -4.
These are our NBA free picks and predictions for Trail Blazers vs. Rockets on January 28.
Portland Trail Blazers at Houston Rockets Betting Preview
Injuries
Trail Blazers: C.J. McCollum F (Out), Jusuf Nurkic F (Out), Robert Covington F (Out), Zach Collins C (Out), Derrick Jones Jr. F (Probable), Rodney Hood G (Probable)
Rockets: Christian Wood F (Probable), Dante Exum G (Out)
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting Trend to Know
Over is 17-7 in Trail Blazers' last 24 road games. Find more NBA betting trends for Trail Blazers vs. Rockets.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonThe Rockets opened -2.5 Wednesday night at FanDuel and stretched out to -5, where the line sits as of 4 p.m. ET for a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff. Houston is taking 55 percent of bets and 69 percent of money on the point spread. The total moved from 227.5 to 230, then dialed back to 229, with 53 percent of bets on the Under and 51 percent of money on the Over.
Check out the full line movement for this gameAgainst the Spread (ATS) Pick
Between an inconsistent schedule due to COVID-19 cancellations and a roster plagued with notable injuries, Portland has hit a very bumpy patch. After winning six of their first nine games of 2021, the Blazers are just 1-2 SU and 0-3 ATS in their last three outings – all three of those matchups coming at home.
Portland’s offense is missing the contributions of C.J. McCollum and versatile big Jusuf Nurkic (who combine for 36.5 points per game) and now have injuries piling up when it comes to their top defenders. Small forward Robert Covington is out for Thursday’s game with a concussion and fellow SF Derrick Jones Jr. is nursing a quad injury.
That lack of bodies showed in Monday’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, with head coach Terry Stotts going just three deep into his bench and needing a fourth-quarter push from standout Damian Lillard to keep it close down the stretch. It was the second game of back-to-back contests and the Blazers came out flat, getting outscored 34-24 in the first quarter, and didn’t have the stamina to dig themselves out of the early hole.
Houston has been able to boost its confidence against some cupcake opponents, taking victories over Washington, Dallas, and Detroit – who have a combined 15-35 SU record. The Rockets continued developing chemistry between John Wall and Victor Oladipo in Tuesday’s blowout of the Wizards, with the pair scoring a collective 44 points. Toss in sharp-shooting guard Eric Gordon, and Houston has a high-powered backcourt that will give the Blazers fits.
PREDICTION: Houston -4 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Portland hasn’t been much for defense, even when healthy, but the loss of Covington and having other key perimeter defenders dinged up compounded itself against OKC.
The Thunder, who only average 106.2 points per game and hit 33.5 percent from distance, erupted for 125 points – their highest point total in regulation this season. Their guards were able to get dribble penetration and kick out to open shooters, with Oklahoma City finishing 18 of 40 from beyond the arc in the win.
The Trail Blazers have allowed their last three foes to fire at a 44.1 percent clip from 3-point range, totaling 45 made triples in that span. That inability to get a hand up on perimeter shooters has helped pushed Portland’s totals Over the number in each of those matchups.
The Rockets have two of the better dribble-drive creators in the league with Wall and Oladipo, and head coach Stephen Silas is confident this offense will gel quickly the more these new pieces play together. Houston is behind schedule in the scoring department with the departure of star James Harden and a new system for the 2020-21 schedule.
However, if the Rockets are going to find their form with the basketball, the porous Portland defense looks like the team to do it against.
PREDICTION: Over 228.5 (-110)
Player Prop Pick
Oladipo had a solid effort in his first game sharing the ball with Wall, totaling 20 points and five rebounds while shooting 7 for 21 from the field and making three of his 10 3-point looks versus Washington. But the offense didn’t really start to click until the fourth quarter.
The former Indiana Pacers star, who joined the Rocket as part of the multi-team Harden trade, scored 10 of those points in the final frame, hitting 4 for 10 from the floor including two of his 3-point buckets.
Oladipo is shooting just over 34 percent from 3-point land and knocking down 2.6 triples per game on the season. He’ll enjoy the extra space Wall can create for him and should easily top this 3-pointer Over/Under against a Blazers defense slow to get its heels above the arc.
PREDICTION: Victor Oladipo Over 2.5 3-pointers (-169)
Trail Blazers vs Rockets Betting Card
- Houston -4 (-110)
- Over 228.5 (-110)
- Victor Oladipo Over 2.5 3-pointers (-169)
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