NBA Picks: Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers
Tuesday, 1/3/12, 10:30 PM EST, TV: FSW
Opening Point Spread: Los Angeles -7
Current Betting Line: Los Angeles -7
Opening Total: 191
Current Total: 191.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Los Angeles Lakers have won three straight against the Houston Rockets inside the Staples Center

Houston has alternated wins and losses over its first four games this season, coming off an impressive 95-84 victory over the Atlanta Hawks as one-point home favorites on Dec. 31, 2011. “I think so far in the season, we’ve been showing two faces,” commented Rockets forward Luis Scola. The Rockets will try to keep the Lakers under 90 points in tonight’s contest, posting an 11-0 record in that situation a year ago, while capturing both circumstances during the early part of this season. Houston is 9-21 ATS in January over the past two-plus seasons.

The Rockets have allowed 108.5 points per game in their road losses this season, which is far different than allowing just 84.5 points per contest in two home victories. Houston will definitely lean on Kevin Martin offensively, who averaged 26.0 points per game against the Lakers during the 2010-11 season, while netting 27 points in the team’s victory latest win.

Los Angeles won two of three meetings against Houston during last year’s series, picking up victories in both games inside the Staples Center. The Lakers have won three of their past four games, dropping a 99-90 decision to the Denver Nuggets last time out as 5.5-point road underdogs. The main storyline in this contest surrounds Kobe Bryan’s right wrist, as he managed to shoot a combined 26.1 percent in two games against the Nuggets. The results were disappointing due to the star averaging 27.8 points on 48.1-percent shooting in the first four games of the season. Los Angeles is 11-27 ATS after going ‘under’ the total in three or more consecutive games.

The Lakers will need Bryant at his best to cover this spread, as he averages 26.8 points per game against the Rockets in 49 career games. Los Angeles has won three straight in this series when hosting, while also capturing nine of the last 11 overall meetings between these Western Conference rivals. The team’s big men have played relatively well this season, as first-year head coach Mike Brown is still playing around with the rotation. He has been impressed with the play of forward Troy Murphy, who is stuck behind Josh McRoberts and starters Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol.