Thursday’s slate of prime-time NBA action features a heavyweight matchup between the Houston Rockets and the Boston Celtics in Beantown.
- The Rockets are 28-10 SU in their last 38 games after a loss.
- The Celtics are 6-2 SU in their last eight games at home against teams with winning records.
- The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in their last five games against the Celtics.
The Rockets own the second-best record in the league and the Celtics come in at No. 3, but the Rockets have been a rocky wager of late after cruising to a 14-game winning streak. Without Chris Paul, Houston dropped back-to-back games at home before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day. The Rockets are 15-1 SU with the point guard in the lineup but 10-6 without him, and the veteran is not expected to suit up tonight.
The Celtics are experiencing a rough patch of their own, suffering three setbacks in a four-game span before topping Charlotte 102-91 on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving registered a team-high 21 points in that game with Al Horford recording 20 points and 11 boards in the process. Rookie small forward Jayson Tatum has been a pleasant surprise for the Celtics, as the Duke product is averaging 16.3 points over his last seven tilts.
Betting on Houston to beat the Celtics in Boston has traditionally been a poor idea, as the Rockets are 19-44 SU all-time in Massachusetts. UNDER bettors love seeing these teams get together due to their penchant for participating in low-scoring affairs. In the last 10 meetings between the Celtics and Rockets, the UNDER is 9-1.
Handicapping models based on recent betting stats and prediction formulas pick a 108-107 win for the Celtics. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NBA matchups here.
Houston Rockets vs Boston Celtics Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Houston Rockets will look to vanquish their hosts on Thursday, as they are 16-15-1 versus the spread this season, while the Boston Celtics are 23-13-2 ATS. Houston is 17-15 against the points scored total betting line, while Boston is 19-18-1 versus the line. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Boston vs Houston injuries news.
The Celtics-Rockets betting odds would favor the Rockets if the lines were set according to power rankings. Boston is rated No. 10 in our latest OddsShark poll, while the Houston Rockets sit at No. 1.
Statistical Matchup
Offensively the game matches up Boston's No. 21-ranked offense (103.45 PPG) against a Houston Rockets defense that ranks No. 15 at 105.56 PPG. The Celtics have averaged 45.21% from the field per game, less than the Rockets have managed so far this NBA season (46.79% on average).
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Houston got 29 points from James Harden en route to a 112-107 loss against Oklahoma City on Monday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Al Horford scored 20 points and added 11 rebounds for a double-double, leading Boston over Charlotte 102-91 on Wednesday at Spectrum Center.
- Houston is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
- Houston is 20-4 SU in its last 24 games
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games
- Houston is 7-2 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
- Boston is 3-6-1 ATS in its last 10 games
- Boston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games
- Boston is 1-4-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
- Boston is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games at home
Next Betting Matchups
Houston at Washington, Friday, December 29th
Boston home to Brooklyn, Sunday, December 31st
