LA Lakers (42-25) vs. Houston Rockets (41-25)
March 16, 2026 9:30 pm EDT
The Line: Houston Rockets -2.5; Over/Under: 226.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Los Angeles Lakers travel to the Toyota Center to take on the Houston Rockets on Monday night. Here’s a Rockets vs. Lakers prediction. This article will include a Rockets vs. Lakers pick.
Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview
The Los Angeles Lakers have been on fire, as they’ve won eight of their last nine games overall and they will be gunning for a sixth straight victory after outlasting the Nuggets in a 127-125 overtime win on Saturday. Austin Reaves led the team with 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists on 12 of 21 shooting; Luka Doncic racked up a triple-double of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, while Marcus Smart chipped in with 21 points with five steals. As a team, the Lakers shot 52 percent from the field and 14 of 42 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in trouble after they squandered a 17-point lead, but the Lakers battled in overtime and turned to Doncic, who saved the day with the clutch stepback jumpshot to give the Lakers the lead with just 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
Houston Rockets Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets have been on a pretty good run themselves, as they’ve won seven of their last 11 games and they will be eager to keep it going after sneaking past the Pelicans in a 107-105 win on Friday. Kevin Durant led the team with 32 points, six rebounds and five assists on 13 of 24 shooting. Amen Thompson added 23 points with 12 rebounds and eight assists, while Reed Sheppard chipped in with 18 points off the bench. As a team, the Rockets shot 43 percent from the field and 14 of 41 from the 3-point line as they wasted a strong start and looked to be in trouble after squandering an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter before they responded with a crucial 7-0 run to reclaim the lead for good.
Why the Houston Rockets will win
- The home team has won each of the Lakers’ last eight games.
- The Lakers have lost nine of their last 10 games at Toyota Center when playing with a rest disadvantage.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the Lakers’ last eight games.
- The Lakers have failed to cover the spread in 14 of their last 15 night games following an overtime win.
Why the Los Angeles Lakers will win
- The Lakers have won each of their last seven games against Southwest Division opponents after winning as underdogs.
- The Rockets have lost each of their last two games as favorites following a win.
- The Lakers have covered the spread in eight of their last nine games.
- The Rockets have failed to cover the spread in eight of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents following a win.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Lakers’ last six road games against Southwest Division opponents has gone UNDER the total points line.
- Five of the Rockets’ last six home games following a home win have gone UNDER the total points line.
Houston Rockets Player Facts
- Amen Thompson ranks 4th in the league for points in the paint (778) this season.
- Kevin Durant ranks 7th in the league for second-chance points (195) this season.
Los Angeles Lakers Player Facts
- Luka Doncic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points per game (32.8) this season.
- Luke Kennard ranks 1st amongst qualified players for 3P% (48.8%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (48.2).
- The Rockets rank 1st in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (15.2).
- The Lakers rank 1st in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.6).
- The Lakers rank 1st in the league for field goal percentage this season (49.9%).
Rockets vs Lakers Prediction
The Lakers are still missing Maxi Kleber, while the Rockets have ruled out Jae’Sean Tate and Steven Adams, with Alperen Sengun listed as questionable. These teams last met on December 26, where the Rockets smashed the Lakers by 119-96 behind 26 points from Amen Thompson, but a lot has happened since that meeting, as the Lakers are finally in a groove with eight wins from their past nine games. The Rockets haven’t been too bad themselves, but the injury cloud hanging over Sengun really puts a spanner in the works for the Rockets. The Rockets are still slight favorites at home, but if Sengun sits out, I prefer a play on the Lakers to pull off the minor upset on the road in this spot.
