Boston (37-15) at Houston (33-20)
When: Tuesday, February 11th, 2020
Where: Toyota Center,
Houston, TX
Time: 9:35 ET | TV: TNT
Opening Odds: Houston -2/230
After an impressive road win at the Los Angeles Lakers last Thursday, the Houston Rockets were favored in their next two contests and came up short each time. They will look to halt their two-game skid when they host the red-hot Boston Celtics on Tuesday night – live on TNT. The Rockets are still committed to a lineup that does not include a player over 6’7″ and dropped a heart-breaker over the weekend at home when Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic just got off a 3-point attempt over James Harden’s outstretched hand as time expired to give the Jazz a stunning 114-113 win. Meanwhile, the Celtics began a brief two-game road trip with a 112-111 victory at the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday afternoon and have won seven games in a row, covering the spread in all but two. The Celtics find themselves as a road dog in this spot but being an underdog hasn’t hampered them. They are 11-3 against the spread (ATS) this season when getting points, 16-7 ATS against teams above .500, and are 15-9-1 ATS on the road. The Rockets have had the upper hand in this series recently as they won both meetings last season by an average of 12.5 points per game. They’re 18-8 straight-up at home but they’ve gone just 13-13 against the spread in those games and are 19-25 ATS as a favorite this season.
The Celtics haven’t lost since Jan. 26 at New Orleans and have won four of their last five away games. Jayson Tatum has been the scoring leader of late, averaging 26.7 points per game over his last seven while shooting 49.1 percent. Jaylen Brown came back from an injury abscence and scored 17 points at Oklahoma City on Sunday, but is still dealing with an bum ankle and is questionable for Tuesday’s game. Three players recorded double-doubles on Sunday including center Daniel Theis (13 points, 11 boards), who also played solid defense against Thunder center Steven Adams. Boston, who ranks second in the NBA in points allowed (105.5), will host the L.A. Clippers on Thursday before entering the All-Star Break.
This will be Houston’s final contest before the break and they’re hoping not to go into it with a three-game skid. Russell Westbrook had 39 points in the team’s loss on Sunday, going 18-of-33 from the field. He had shot just 42.6 percent from the field in his first 31 games but he’s at 52.0 percent over his last seven and has scored 30 or more in six of those seven games. The small Rockets lineup was outrebounded by the Phoenix Suns by 22 on Friday and by 12 to the Jazz on Sunday. James Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring at an average of 35.2 points, went 2-of-13 from 3-point range on Sunday but somehow still managed to record a triple-double (28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists). Shooting guard Eric Gordon (leg contusion) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.
Houston has burned me multiple times this season and I’m not letting them do it again. Boston is on fire right now and are very good away from home versus teams with winning records, and as an underdog.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Tuesday. He is 58-49-3 on the season after a 11-6 run!
Pick: Celtics +2.5
Celtics are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Celtics are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog.
Celtics are 5-1-1 ATS in their last 7 Tuesday games.
Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Celtics are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog.
Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Celtics are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Celtics are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
Celtics are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Celtics are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Celtics are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Celtics are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games playing on 1 days rest.
Celtics are 15-6-1 ATS in their last 22 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Celtics are 13-6-1 ATS in their last 20 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Rockets are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Rockets are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 4-1 in Celtics last 5 games following a ATS loss.
Under is 5-2 in Celtics last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 20-8 in Celtics last 28 games as an underdog.
Over is 5-2 in Celtics last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Under is 20-8 in Celtics last 28 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Under is 20-8 in Celtics last 28 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 7-3 in Celtics last 10 overall.
Under is 7-3 in Celtics last 10 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Celtics last 10 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 7-3 in Celtics last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
Under is 16-7 in Celtics last 23 games as a road underdog.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 overall.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 Tuesday games.
Under is 8-2 in Rockets last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Under is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings in Houston.
Under is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings.
