Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers Betting Preview

Even though Sunday is typically reserved for football in the United States, there are some NBA games on the calendar as well. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets in one of these games at the Staples Center in LA.

Houston comes into this game with a record of just 1-4, and they are not expected to be a playoff contender this season. The Rockets have now lost three straight game, and they are a large underdog in this game.

Los Angeles is one of the betting favorites to win the NBA championship this season, but they haven’t looked the part up to this point. The Lakers are just 3-3 on the year, but they did pick up a 113-101 victory in their most recent game.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the clear favorites at -11.5 over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

Rockets Must Get Stops

The Houston Rockets gave up just 91 points in their lone win of the year over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Outside of that game, Houston has really struggled to get stops on the year.

This is a young Houston team that doesn’t have any veteran leadership, and the Rockets aren’t always bought in on the defensive end of the floor. Center Christian Wood anchors the defense, and he also leads the team with 19.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game.

Turnovers have been a major issue for the Rockets this season, as they are averaging over 17 of them per game. The Rockets are shooting 36 percent from deep, but they have to do a better job of taking care of the ball.

Dynamic Duo Dealing With Injuries

The Los Angeles Lakers have put together a roster that is full of veterans, and that could make navigating through the regular season difficult at times. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis are listed as day-to-day for this matchup on Sunday night.

Anthony Davis has been the offensive star for the Lakers, scoring more than 26 points per game. Russell Westbrook is another player that can make plays for the Lakers, but he has also struggled at times.

Los Angeles wants to win games on the defensive end of the floor, and this could be a game in which they put up a low number.

Rockets Keep it Close in Loss

Things have not come easy for the Lakers this season, and they are going to be playing with a pair of injured stars on Sunday night. It’s going to take some time for Los Angeles to figure everything out, and this will be another opportunity.

Houston is a team that does have some individual talent, and they are going to give the Lakers a battle in this game. The Rockets won’t get enough stops on defense to win, but their offense will make the fourth quarter interesting.

Take the 11.5-points and bet on the Houston Rockets on Sunday night, but it will be the Los Angeles Lakers that get the win.

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