El Jefe
Heading into this early season matchup, the Houston Rockets (9-19) will take on the Portland Pilots (16-12) in Houston on Saturday, December 17 at Toyota Center. Still in the early part of the season, both of these teams will of course be searching for a win in this game as they look to establish a rhythym for the rest of the year. The action starts at 7:00 PM CT, so don’t forget to make your picks before it’s too late!
For context about Saturday’s early-season showdown, how have the Rockets and the Pilots performed against each other in the past?
So far this season, these teams have competed in one contest and the Rockets lost to the Trail Blazers. In their most recent meeting on October 28, 2022, the score was 125-111 in favor of the Trail Blazers. In that game, the Rockets had a 51.72% field goal percentage and a 36.84% three pointer percentage, whereas the Pilots had a 40.22% field goal percentage and shot 37.14% from the perimenter. Elsewhere on the stat sheet, Houston grabbed 39 rebounds and 23 assists while Portland had 45 boards and 30 assists.
Betting Preview for the Portland Pilots vs Houston Rockets NBA Game on December 17 2022
Where: Toyota Center in Houston, Texas
When: Saturday, December 17, 2022
Betting on the Portland Pilots
Record: 16-12 | Northwest Division Standing: 2
The Portland Pilots have won six out of their last 10 games and are currently in 5th place in the conference. In their previous game they lost to the Utah Utes, 100-120, in spite of the momentum-propelling contribution of Enes Kanter. In that game, Kanter supplied 14 points (100.0 FG%) and Cj Mccollum had 23 points (36.84 FG%). Check out our assessment further down to learn how this performance has influenced their odds for the upcoming game against Houston on Saturday.
Absences and Injuries
In terms of injuries, the Pilots are without Nassir Little (Hip) and Gary Payton II (Core). Trendon Watford (Achilles), Josh Hart (Ankle), and Drew Eubanks (Tooth) are listed as questionable.
Betting on the Houston Rockets
Record: 9-19 | Southwest Division Standing: 5
The Houston Rockets were beaten by the Portland Pilots in their most recent game on Saturday, 128-126, in spite of the fact that James Harden and Christian Wood put up a solid number of points. Harden was responsible for 44 points (57.14 FG%, six 3-pointers) and 17 assists, whereas Christian Wood chipped in 31 points (63.64 FG%) and 13 rebounds. The Rockets are in the last position in their conference currently. Be sure to review our evaluation of the odds for Saturday’s matchup below and think about how the squad’s recent form could impact their meeting versus Portland.
Absences and Injuries
The Rockets are lacking Jae’Sean Tate (Ankle).
Trail Blazers vs Rockets | Moneyline, Over/Under and Point Spread Odds
Moneyline Pick: Portland Pilots (-164) at FanDuel
The Portland Pilots are considered the favorite. The squad has a winning percentage of 60% in the last 10 games (a record of six wins and four losses) while the Houston Rockets have gotten 50% in the last 10 games (five wins and five losses).
Over/Under Pick: Over 227.5 Total Points (-110) at BetMGM
It is predicted that the total score for the game will be over 227.5.
The Houston Rockets have logged an average of 111.1 points a game in the 10 games since November 27. Alternatively, the Portland Pilots have recorded 118.7 points per game over their last 10 games.
Spread Pick: Houston Rockets +3.5 Points (-106) at FanDuel
The Houston Rockets will need to lose by less than the amount of the spread or win outright in order to cover.
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