Cleveland (5-6) at Houston (8-3)
When: Thursday, November 9th 2017
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Houston -5/232
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The Cleveland Cavaliers, who can’t seem to stop anyone on the defensive end, will have their hands full with the high-flying Houston Rockets on Thursday night at Toyota Center. Veteran Dwayne Wade called out the starters (LeBron James excluded) after they combined for 25 points on 9-of-29 shooting in a 117-115 loss to the lowly Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. That seemed to spark the team to a 124-119 win over the rising Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. The Cavaliers will look to keep that momentum going when they start a four-game road trip on Thursday, with a defense that is ranked 28th in the league (113.9). That’s good news for Houston, who averages a sixth-best 109.9 points a game and they’ve upped that total during their current three-game winning streak with 119, 119, and 137-point outings. Houston scored a season high in a 137-110 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday as James Harden lit-up the scoreboard with 56 points and 13 assists. The home team took each of the two meetings in the 2016-17 campaign.
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The player who rebounded the most in Tuesday’s win over Milwaukee was power forward Kevin Love, who recorded season-highs in both points (32) and rebounds (16) after managing four points and four boards against the Hawks before leaving the loss with an illness. Love was also 14-of-16 from the free-throw line and 9-of-14 from the floor without attempting a 3-pointer. J.R. Smith improved as well and scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting after totaling 15 points on 5-of-15 over the previous three games. James will pass Michael Jordan (1,072) on the career list for games played on Thursday.
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Harden went a ridiculous 19-of-25 from the floor and 7-of-8 from 3-point range en route to his career-high 56 points against the Jazz. Harden isn’t the only Rocket stuffing the stat sheet, as shooting guard Eric Gordon is averaging 23.1 points on the season and knocked down 6-of-11 from 3-point range on Sunday. Houston’s 8-3 record is even more impressive since they don’t have their biggest offseason acquisition in point guard Chris Paul, who has not played since opening night but is making progress in his recovery according to coach Mike D’Antoni. Veteran Nene went well above his season averages off the bench on Sunday, scoring 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting and grabbed four rebounds. This is the middle of a three-game homestand for Houston, who will host Memphis on Saturday.
THURSDAY NIGHT NFL FOOTBALL PREDICTION
Cleveland is off to a slow start and there’s really no indication when they’ll snap out of it. Houston is rolling right now and they will have had three days rest for this one. I like the Rockets to roll tonight.
Pick: Rockets -5.5
- Cavaliers are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Cavaliers are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 road games.
- Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Cavaliers are 2-8-1 ATS in their last 11 vs. Western Conference.
- Cavaliers are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Cavaliers are 1-7-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Cavaliers are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 vs. NBA Southwest.
- Rockets are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Rockets are 5-12 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS win.
- Rockets are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 home games.
- Rockets are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Rockets are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. NBA Central.
- Rockets are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
- Over is 5-0 in Cavaliers last 5 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 5-1 in Cavaliers last 6 road games.
- Over is 4-1 in Cavaliers last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Cavaliers last 7 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
- Over is 27-11 in Cavaliers last 38 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 36-15-1 in Cavaliers last 52 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 39-18-1 in Cavaliers last 58 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 13-6 in Cavaliers last 19 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 34-16-1 in Cavaliers last 51 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 47-23-1 in Cavaliers last 71 overall.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 overall.
- Under is 5-0 in Rockets last 5 Thursday games.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 vs. NBA Central.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Under is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 5-2 in Rockets last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Over is 7-3 in Rockets last 10 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Houston.
- Cavaliers are 3-7 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
- Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
- Cavaliers are 2-10 ATS in the last 12 meetings in Houston.
- Road team is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
