8:40 pm
January 18

Lakers @ Rockets

Who will WIN this matchup?

Los Angeles Lakers (33-8)

@ Houston Rockets (26-14)

 

Current odds:

Los Angeles Lakers: (+115)

Houston Rockets: (-135)

 

The line for this game is Rockets by 2 points.

The Los Angeles Lakers saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end and look to start a new stretch of victories when they visit the Houston Rockets on Saturday. The Lakers lost 119-118 to the visiting Orlando Magic on Wednesday and reached the midway point with a 33-8 record. Power forward Anthony Davis (tailbone) missed practice on Friday and is listed as questionable and could miss his fifth straight game as Los Angeles opens a five-game road trip. Lakers forward LeBron James matched his career best of 19 assists against Orlando but had just 19 points and three rebounds after topping 30 points in each of his previous three games.

The Rockets fell 117-107 to the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday for their third loss in four games and frustrations were shared in the locker room following the setback. “It doesn’t get any easier for us,” star guard James Harden said afterward. “We’ve got some tough opponents coming up, and we’ve got to figure our way through it. We will. I think everyone goes through the tough times throughout the course of the year. For us, this is now.”

The Los Angeles bench had 68 points compared to 50 or the starters versus the Magic with Quinn Cook scoring 22 points and fellow guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Troy Daniels adding 17 apiece. The outputs for Cook and Daniels represented season highs and both players knocked down four 3-pointers. “Just staying ready, being a professional,” Cook told reporters about waiting for his chance to contribute. “Just being consumed with winning. Staying in the gym. You never know in this league. That’s the sacrifice you have to make when you play on great teams like these.”

Harden scored a season-low 13 points on 3-of-12 shooting against Portland and it marked the second time he has tallied fewer than 20 points in the past four games. His slump comes during a rough stretch in which Houston has seen its last three losses all come by double digits. “Every ship gets rocked sometimes. We’re getting rocked right now,” Houston coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters. “Two weeks ago, if you would have asked, we were in a great place team-wise. It’s that delicate of a thing. You’ve got to be careful, and right now, we’re shaky. But we have veterans that will right the ship up.”

The Rockets have won 17 of the past 21 meetings.

Houston PG Russell Westbrook has scored 20 or more points in 15 consecutive appearances after producing 31 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in the loss to Portland.

Los Angeles PG Rajon Rondo (broken finger) is questionable after missing the past two games.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Los Angeles Lakers