Houston Rockets (1-4) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3-3)
October 31, 2021 10:30 pm EDT
The Line: Los Angeles Lakers -12.5; Over/Under: +224
(Get latest betting odds)
The Los Angeles Lakers play host to the Houston Rockets at the Staples Center on Sunday night.
The Houston Rockets have really struggled so far as they’ve lost four of their first five games and they will be hoping to snap a three-game skid after getting routed by the Jazz in a 122-91 home loss on Thursday. Christian Wood led the team in scoring with 16 points, Alperen Sengun added 14 points off the bench while Jalen Green chipped in with 13 points, but no other player finished in double figures in scoring. As a team, the Rockets shot a horrible 32 percent from the field and just nine of 44 from the 3-point line, but they got off to a slow start and were never a threat after falling behind by 21 points going into halftime. Green had a night to forget as he shot just three of 16 from the field while Jae’Sean Tate scored just seven points on three of 12 shooting.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers are starting to build some momentum as they’ve won three of their last four games and they will be looking to stay hot after taking down the Cavaliers in a 113-101 home win on Friday. LeBron James led the team with 26 points and eight assists, Carmelo Anthony provided the spark off the bench with 24 points on nine of 12 shooting, Russell Westbrook tallied 19 points with five assists while Anthony Davis chipped in with 15 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. As a team, the Lakers shot a healthy 54 percent from the field and 12 of 27 from the 3-point line as they poured in 33 points in the second quarter to overcome an 11-point deficit, before holding the Cavaliers to just 16 points in the fourth quarter to claim their second home win of the season.
Looking at the betting trends, the Rockets are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 Sunday games, 6-2 ATS in their last eight road games and 7-2 ATS in their last nine games following a loss. The Lakers are 1-5 ATS in their last six home games, 1-6-1 ATS in their last eight games against a team with a losing record and 4-15 ATS in their last 19 games following a win.
Head to head, the under is 5-1 in the last six meetings overall, the Rockets are 1-6 ATS in the last seven meetings overall and the Rockets are 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings in Los Angeles.
The Rockets haven’t been able to get going this season as they look to be a team player for positions, rather than playing for each other and we saw that in their 31-point loss to the Jazz on Thursday. The Lakers have had to deal with their own dramas this season and they’ve been well below their best, but they will take plenty of confidence from their easy win over the Cavaliers on Friday. The line is a little hefty, but I’m sticking with the Lakers to get the win and cover assuming that Davis and James are available.
