LA Clippers (12-18) at Houston (25-5)
When: Friday, December 22nd 2017
Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: ESPN
Opening Odds: Houston -11.5/218
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The Houston Rockets had won 14 straight contests since the return of point guard Chris Paul, but that streak came to an end the other night, as Paul went down as well. Houston will look to rebound and earn their 15th win in 16 games when they host Paul’s former team, the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. Houston’s streak ended with a 122-116 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday as Paul left in the fourth quarter with a left adductor strain. Paul is considered day-to-day and is in danger of missing the date with Los Angeles, with which he earned First-Team All-NBA honors in from 2012-2014 and led to the playoffs in each of his six seasons there. The Clippers will be missing their key acquisition from that trade, as point guard Patrick Beverley is done for the year with a knee injury and is one of three Clippers starters out of the lineup. Guard Austin Rivers has picked up some minutes in Beverley’s absence and scored 21 points on Wednesday as the Clippers knocked off the Phoenix Suns 108-95 to snap a three-game losing skid. Houston won two of three from Los Angeles last season despite Harden being limited to a pedestrian 23.3 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds in the meetings.
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Milos Teodosic was acquired to be Paul’s backup at point, but he too has been dealing with the injury bug and has missed 22 games already this season. Teodosic is getting more comfortable in the role and dished out a season-best eight assists in 27 minutes on Wednesday. Teodosic is averaging just 8.3 points on 32.8% shooting but is starting to mesh with center DeAndre Jordan, who went 5-of-7 from the floor on Wednesday and finished with 12 points and 20 rebounds for his sixth straight double-double.
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The Rockets did just fine without Paul, but know they will need him in the playoffs if they want to unseat the Warriors in the West. James Harden is still the man in Houston and he kept the team in the game on Wednesday by scoring 51 points and handing out nine assists. Teams aren’t having much luck slowing down Harden, who leads the NBA in scoring (31.9 points) while ranking third in assists (9.03). Eric Gordon scored 21 points off the bench was 8-of-21 from the field and actually shot a better percentage from 3-point land than 2-pointers. The Rockets next game will be at Oklahoma City on Christmas Day.
NBA SCORES – ODDS – PUBLIC PLAYS
Even without Paul, this Rockets team is dangerous and the Clippers are simply not at 100%. Houston will bounce back strong after the loss to the Lakers and win this one easily.
Pick: Rockets -11.5
- Clippers are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Clippers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
- Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Clippers are 7-3-1 ATS in their last 11 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Clippers are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Clippers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 vs. Western Conference.
- Clippers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Clippers are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 vs. NBA Southwest.
- Rockets are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Friday games.
- Rockets are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs. Western Conference.
- Rockets are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS loss.
- Rockets are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. NBA Pacific.
- Rockets are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- Rockets are 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Rockets are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Under is 6-1 in Clippers last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
- Under is 5-1 in Clippers last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 5-1 in Clippers last 6 overall.
- Under is 4-1 in Clippers last 5 games following a ATS win.
- Under is 8-3 in Clippers last 11 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 5-2 in Clippers last 7 road games.
- Over is 10-4 in Clippers last 14 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 5-2 in Clippers last 7 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 7-3 in Clippers last 10 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 overall.
- Under is 5-0 in Rockets last 5 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 home games.
- Over is 6-0 in Rockets last 6 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 4-0 in Rockets last 4 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-1 in Rockets last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 4-1 in Rockets last 5 games following a straight up loss.
- Over 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 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings in Houston.
- Over is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings.
- Clippers are 3-7 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
- Underdog is 7-3 ATS in the last 10 meetings.
- Clippers are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Houston.
