NBA Betting: Sizzling Rockets, Raptors Collide
It’s not hard to spot the top game in the NBA this weekend, as the Houston Rockets take their lengthy winning streak north to face the Eastern Conference-best Toronto Raptors.
Houston has won 17 straight and has been pretty kind to bettors at 11-6 against the spread. The Rockets made it 17 in a row Wednesday night by knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks 110-99 as a 5.5-point road favorite at Bovada Sportsbook. Houston has been money on the road during the streak, winning 10 straight road games at 9-1 ATS.
Toronto is on its own modest six-game winning streak straight up with a 4-2 record ATS. The Raptors are also 13-1 SU and 10-4 ATS in their last 14, and at home they’re 10-1 SU and 7-4 ATS in their last 11.
In the lone meeting between the Raptors and Rockets this season in November, Toronto won 129-113 as a 6.5-point road underdog. In Toronto, the Rockets have won their last two games both SU and ATS, but the last 10 have been dominated by the Raptors at 8-2 SU and ATS.
The safest bet in this game may be to take the OVER on the total. The last five matchups between Toronto and Houston have all gone OVER.
Away from the potential NBA Finals matchup this weekend, the Cleveland Cavaliers hit the road to swing through Los Angeles with games against the Clippers on Friday and the Lakers on Sunday.
Cleveland has won its last two games SU and ATS but is still a mediocre 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS in the last six. On the road, Cleveland has been strong, having won five straight SU and ATS. However, the Cavs have struggled on the road against Western Conference opponents this season at 4-7 SU and 5-5-1 ATS.
The Clippers are coming off a 121-116 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans as a 2.5-point home favorite to sit at 6-3 SU and ATS in their last nine. In their lone matchup with Cleveland this season, they fell to the Cavaliers 118-113 as a 6.5-point road underdog. Including that win, Cleveland is 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in its last 10 vs the Clippers.
Before the Lakers welcome the Cavaliers on Sunday, they’ll face the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Entering that matchup the Lakers are rolling, at 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games. If the Lakers happen to be a home underdog Sunday, that could bode well as they are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five as a home underdog.
In December, Cleveland defeated the Lakers 121-112 as a 10-point favorite. That was the Cavaliers’ seventh straight win over Los Angeles, but they were only 3-4 ATS in those seven games.