Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Prediction and Picks January 16
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Betting Preview
WagerTalk NBA handicapper Andy Lang offers his predictions and picks for tonight’s Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets battle from the crypto.com Arena. Both the Lakers and Rockets sit dead last in their respective divisions.
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Betting Odds
| Monday, January 16 | NBA Betting Notes, Courtesy of Caesars |
|---|---|
| Point Spread: | Los Angeles Lakers -5.5 vs Houston Rockets |
| Total: | 236 Points |
| Arena: | crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA |
| Game Time: | 10:30pm ET / 7:30pm PT |
| TV: | NBA TV |
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Betting Analysis
The Houston Rockets travel to Los Angeles for a Western Conference tilt with the Lakers on the final game of an MLK Day slate. The Lakers were edged out 113-112 at home against the Philadelphia 76ers for their third straight loss.
The Rockets lost their 10th straight game and it wasn’t close in a 121-100 road loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. This is the first of three head-to-head meetings between these teams in the 2022-23 campaign. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 PM EST/7:30 PST as the nightcap on NBATV.
Rockets Grounded
The Houston Rockets record plummeted to 10-33 after losing their 15th game in 16 tries against the Clippers on Sunday.
The Clippers had a tremendous advantage from beyond the arc as they shot 14-32 for 43.8% compared to the Rockets going only 7-31 for 22.6%. Eric Gordon led his team in scoring with 24 points on 8-16 from the field.
Kenyon Martin Jr scored 22 points and 9 rebounds while Alperen Sengun added 15 points and 9 rebounds. The Rockets rank second to last in scoring with only 109.1 points a game on 44.1% from the field.
Houston also sits at 28th in defensive rating and 24th in defensive scoring with 117 points allowed per game. This team is an odds on favorite for the tank for Wembanyama sweepstakes. Kevin Porter Jr is the only player on the Rockets injury report and he is questionable with a foot injury.
Lakers Lose Third Straight Game
The Los Angeles Lakers record dropped to 19-24 on the season after losing a third straight game to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers actually matched or lead statistical categories across the board but still managed to lose the game.
LeBron James led all scorers with 35 points along with 10 assists and 8 rebounds. Russell Westbrook recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists off the bench. The Lakers rank 9th in scoring with 116.5 points per game on 48.4% from the field.
Los Angeles sits at 17th in defensive rating and 26th in defensive scoring with 117.7 points allowed per game. Lonnie Walker IV and Austin Reeves have been ruled out for this contest while Patrick Beverley is listed as questionable with an illness.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets Prediction
The Los Angeles Lakers are 5.5 point favorites with a total set at 236. This is matchup between two of the biggest under achievers in the NBA as the Rockets are truly bottom of the barrel while the aging Lakers have again been plagued by injuries.
I can’t see defense being a priority for either side in this contest. The Rockets rank horribly in defensive efficiency at 28th and just gave up 121 points to the Los Angeles Clippers who are one of the most limited offensive teams in the league.
The Lakers rank 2nd in terms of pace while Houston is 13th and the home team generally dictates pace. On top of that, the Lakers are playing the second game of a back-to-back, which contributes to an increase in tempo. The total is set high at 236 but this game should be wide open, so let’s back the over.
Prediction: Over 236 Points Scored
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NBA Tip-Off Show | January 16
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of professional handicappers for the NBA Tip-Off Show as we preview tonight’s NBA card from a betting perspective. We’ll go well beyond the Los Angeles Lakers vs Houston Rockets. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they offer some of their favorite NBA best bets, player props and DFS recommendations on tonight’s slate.
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Meet the Author
Andy Lang has lived in Indianapolis his whole life, and like most people from the Hoosier State, he became fascinated with motor sports. That interest in motor sports turned into a desire to make money off the sport through fantasy contests and sports betting. Like most, he took his lumps when he first got started, but now he is one of the most respected NASCAR bettors in the industry. Andy has expanded that sports betting experience to become profitable in a number of other sports, transforming this interest from a side hobby to a major source of income.
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