The Houston Rockets (61-29 SU, 52-38 ATS) visibly look like a beaten team. The undertaker will be on display to bury their season on Tuesday night if they can't beat the Los Angeles Clippers (62-30 SU, 43-48-1 ATS).
ODDS ANALYSIS
After a game in which there were 93 free throw attempts (and still 164 shots from the field), it shouldn't be surprising that the total went up to 219 for Game 5 of this series.
What is perhaps surprising is that the oddsmakers are giving Houston any chance whatsoever in this game. The Rockets were -7.5 in both of the two home games played at the Toyota Center in Games 1 and 2, but after becoming the first team since 2001 to lose consecutive playoff games by 25+ points, they are now just a pick 'em in Game 5.
INJURY REPORT
Injuries are the one factor that won't play a role in this series now that Chris Paul is healthy and back on the court.
The Rockets do have Patrick Beverley, Dontas Motiejunas and K.J. McDaniels on the injury report, but all three have been out for the whole postseason.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"They beat the hell out of us. I don't know what to tell you. Our game plan was that we really wanted to go to Dwight, and we got foul trouble there. And then we were just trying to attack them." – Rockets head coach Kevin McHale on the strategy which Houston deployed in Game 4
BETTING TRENDS
- The Rockets are just 2-10 ATS in the last 12 games played against the Clippers, including going 1-3 ATS in this series.
- The Clippers are 16-4-1 ATS in their last 21 road games overall.
- The OVER is 4-0 in the four games in this series and is 5-0 in LA's last five games overall.
KEY STATS
18: The number of minutes which Dwight Howard played in Game 4. The big man has to stay on the floor, plain and simple. Howard had just seven points and six boards to go with a technical foul and his six personals in Game 4, and he looked like the biggest baby on the court for the Rockets. He'll have to compose himself once again on the off day to give Houston any chance of survival.
63: The number of free throws which Los Angeles shot in Game 4. Clearly, McHale wanted to slow this game down as best as he could. The fact of the matter is that the strategy worked; the Rockets were within striking distance going into the second half thanks to putting DeAndre Jordan on the foul line 28 times in the first half, an NBA playoff record. In the third though, things got out of hand when Houston stopped making shots. Don't be surprised if this "Hack-A-Jordan" strategy continues on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Whiners. That's all the Rockets are right now. They don't look like they're playing hard. The second that something goes wrong, they look at each other and go into the tank. Sometimes James Harden can save them with a superb individual effort, but in general, you don't get blown out by 25+ points twice in a playoff series and live to tell about it.
Furthermore, you don't give up runs of 20-1 and 29-7 in consecutive third quarters without getting ousted either.
It just doesn't look good for Houston by any stretch of the imagination, and for as hard as we are trying to look for reasons to bet on it, we just can't find any.
Los Angeles 116, Houston 104
BookMaker sent out the NBA odds for this Tuesday game before anyone else in the industry. The game was lined at a pick 'em with a total of 219. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, totals and spreads. Log in, and start gambling during the game now!
Access live betting from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneylines are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker right now! Bet on the NBA today as the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets square off Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 9:30 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston, TX. The matchup will be televised nationally on TNT.
