Houston is currently flirting with .500 record and playoff berth as it fights to hold onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets next opponent on Tuesday is one that’s already clinched a spot and currently ranks out as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Both Houston and Cleveland are below .500 ATS this season. The Rockets at just 32-41 ATS overall, but are a bit better on the road at 18-19 ATS. The Cavs, meanwhile, are 32-38-3 ATS and 17-19 ATS at home.
Over a smaller sample size, the Rockets are 3-5 ATS in their last eight games after beating Toronto and covering the spread 112-109 on Friday. The Cavaliers are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games.
WHEN THE HOUSTON ROCKETS ARE ON OFFENSE
The Rockets are a flawed team, but one area of strength is on offense where the team is averaging 106 PPG, the fourth most in the NBA.
James Harden’s 28.5 PPG ranks him second in the NBA and gives the Rockets a dynamic force out of the backcourt. Harden is the primary offensive weapon for the Rockets. Along with his team leading scoring, he’s also tops on the team in assists with 7.5 per game.
Helping fill out an elite backcourt is Patrick Beverley who is averaging 9.6 PPG. Inside, the Rockets have center Dwight Howard as a big presence. He’s scoring a respectable 14.5 PPG while shooting 61.3 percent from the floor, though his biggest asset is his defense with 11.9 RPG and 1.5 BPG.
The addition of Michael Beasley improves Houston’s depth. He’s now scored 10 or more points in nine straight games, and just went for 21 against Toronto on Friday to help lead the team to 112 total points and the upset victory at home.
LeBron James and company are a good defensive club with the Cavs ranking third in the NBA allowing only 97.9 PPG. That said, they’ve allowed at least 103 points in four of their last six games, including giving up 122 to Miami earlier this month.
A 130-point performance against Memphis aside, we have also seen that Houston’s offense can be stifled. Utah held the Rockets to just 87-points as recently as Wednesday. Harden scored 26-points in that game, but the Jazz did a great job shutting down the rest of the team, particularly up front with Beverly and Howard combining for just 10 points.
WHEN THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS ARE ON OFFENSE
While the Cavs offer a top-notch defense to combat a strong Rockets’ offense, the same cannot be said about the Houston defense.
Houston concedes an average of 106.8 PPG and allows the opposition to shoot 46.1 percent from the floor. It’s allowed at least 109-points in six of its last eight games. Utah and Memphis serve as the exceptions, but neither of those offenses match up against a Cleveland attack ranked No. 9 in the NBA in scoring with 103.9 PPG.
The Cavaliers also rank in the top-10 in field goal percentage and shooting percentage behind the arc.
In their last game—against the Knicks on Saturday—they covered an 8.5-point spread, 107-93. It was the team’s front court that owned that game. LeBron James scored 27-points and notched 11-rebounds, but he was one-upped by Kevin Love who had 28-points and 12-rebounds.
A James and Love frontcourt could give Howard and company fits. Of course, Howard’s rebounding prowess will be key to stopping them, but they’ve got more talent inside and should win the rebounding battle.
While you can expect those two to deliver, keep a close eye on the backcourt. Kyrie Irving is second on the team in scoring with 19.4 PPG. He and J.R. Smith can really transform this team if they’re able to produce. Of course, against a team like Houston, it’s crucial that they can help slow Harden.
BETTING TRENDS AND MATCHUPS
Last time these teams faced off it was the defense that won the day with the Cavs holding the Rockets to just 77-points and Harden accounting for just 11-points, shooting a dismal 2-for-10 from the floor.
Watch Harden early in this game. If he’s struggling once again, you may be tempted to fade Houston, but it may be a good time to double-down if the spread is getting too large and Howard and Beasley are doing their thing inside.
You cannot count on the Cavs to be able to hold down Harden again. He’s just too good of a player.
Access live betting lines from your mobile device 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 moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The matchup between the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers will start at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 29, 2015, at Quicken Loans Arena. The contest will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
