NBA: Cavaliers vs. Rockets Predictions Against the Spread 11/9/17
Are the Rockets a good bet to cover against the Cavaliers tonight in Houston?
The Odds: Cavaliers at Rockets, 8:00 p.m. ET, Thursday
According to oddsmakers, the Rockets are now 5.5-point home favorites to beat the Cavaliers. Houston opened as a 5-point favorite but the line climbed a half-point. The total, meanwhile, now sits at 228 points after opening at 232.
Cleveland is now 5-6 after winning two nights ago at home against Milwaukee. The Cavaliers are also 2-2 on the road this season. On the other side, the Rockets are 8-3 overall but just 2-2 at home. From a betting standpoint, the Cavaliers are 2-8-1 against the spread while the Rockets are 6-5 at the betting window this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers
From Rotoworld: LeBron James scored 30 points with nine assists, eight rebounds, three steals and two 3-pointers in Tuesday’s win over the Bucks.
LeBron hit 10-of-20 shots and 8-of-10 free throws with three steals and a pair of triples in 37 minutes. The Cavs are only 5-6, so they really needed this win with a daunting matchup coming up on Thursday in Houston. His fantasy owners may not mind this slow start, as it makes it more likely that LeBron will have to keep playing heavy minutes until the Cavs right the ship — only DeMarcus Cousins is averaging more minutes.
Houston Rockets
James Harden erupted for a career-high 56 points vs. the Jazz on Sunday, making 19-of-25 field goals and 11-of-12 free throws with seven 3-pointers, 13 assists, two rebounds and two steals.
Harden finished one point shy of Houston’s franchise record, held by Calvin Murphy, and he would have cruised past him if it weren’t for copious garbage time. It would have been a masterful performance in any context, but was all the more impressive against a Jazz team that came in with the league’s third-best defensive rating (98.3). Harden’s previous season-high was 31 points.
Our Prediction
The Cavaliers are just 2-10 against the spread in their last 12 games in Houston. They’re also just 3-7 at the betting window in their last 10 games versus the Rockets overall. The underdog and road team have had success in this series, but I’ll be fading Cleveland tonight. The Rockets are a perfect 5-0 at the betting window in their last five games playing on three or more days of rest.
Thursday NBA Prediction: Houston Rockets -5.5
