The Houston Rockets and Miami Heat, both suffering from a bad run of games, hope to end their own slump, while extending the other’s. Similarly, the Blazers are desperate to get back on track after losing valuable ground in the Western standings.
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]Houston Rockets vs. Miami Heat (March 16th, 3:30 PM EST)
Betting on the Houston Rockets
[sc:NBA240banner ]After winning five games in a row, the Houston Rockets have now lost two straight games on the road. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook blasted the Rockets for 66 points in a 106-98 Thunder win, and on Thursday the Chicago Bulls blew them out 111-87.
James Harden and Dwight Howard were limited to just 20 points combined. Harden had just eight points, his first single-digit scoring game in 2014. The duo combined for 43 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists in the Rockets’ 106-103 win over the Heat earlier this month. The over is 5-1 in Houston’s last 6 games vs. Miami.
Betting on the Miami Heat
Including their loss to the Rockets earlier this month, the Heat have lost four out of their last five games – all against playoff-bound teams. On Wednesday, Miami dropped its fifth home game of the season against the Brooklyn Nets as Paul Pierce outscored LeBron James, 29-19.
James has been rather ordinary since exploding for 61 points against the Bobcats. James is averaging just 20 points on 45% shooting in his last five games. On the bright side, Dwyane Wade looks close to his best.
Wade scored 24 points in a losing effort against the Rockets, and is averaging 22 points on 55% shooting this month. The Heat are 8-2 SU in their last 10 home games vs. the Rockets, including the last four in a row.
Prediction
LeBron James will bounce back in time to send the Rockets crashing in South Beach, while comfortably covering the spread.
Golden State Warriors vs. Portland Trail Blazers (March 16th, 9:00 PM EST)
Betting on the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors had their five-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors hung tough through three quarters but lost steam in the fourth as they were outscored 27-19.
Stephen Curry’s scoring has dropped mightily in March, going six games without breaking 20 points. However, the Warriors have not had problems scoring, with David Lee and Klay Thompson (17 PPG apiece this month) providing steady offense.
The recent hot streak propelled the Warriors back up to sixth in the West, and are now hot on the heels of the no. 5 Blazers. Golden State is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 road games vs. Portland.
Betting on the Portland Trailblazers
The Portland Trailblazers are in free-fall. The Blazers have lost five of their last six, including a season-high four in a row on the road, to drop them to fifth in the West standings.
Portland has not broken 100 points in regulation during its current losing skid and should find scoring harder to come by without All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, who could miss a couple of games with a back injury.
The Blazers hope to bounce back in the Moda Center, where they are 5-1 SU in their last 6 home games. The under is also 6-0 in those games.
Prediction
The loss of Aldridge’s scoring will condemn the Blazers to a straight up home defeat, and should send the total under.
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