Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic Betting Preview
Where: Amway Center — Orlando, Florida
When: Friday, January 6, 2017, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic – VIEW ALL NBA LINES HERE
TV Broadcast: FSFL / C+ D
NBA News & Predictions
- 2017 NBA Draft Expert Picks and Predictions
- 2017 NBA Draft Sleepers
- 2017-18 NBA Championship Odds Update
Betting on the Houston Rockets (28-9)
Houston had to really work for its sixth-straight win (4-2 ATS) on Thursday night against Russell Westbrook’s Thunder, needing a pair of clutch free throws from Nene to escape with the 118-116 victory.
James Harden didn’t record a triple-double but he was as effective as he always is, scoring 26 points to go along with 12 assists and eight rebounds. He also came up huge at the charity stripe, where the Arizona State product drained 12-of-14 attempts.
Eric Gordon provided a lift off the bench for the Rockets, pouring in 22 points along with five triples.
The main problem has been on the defensive end, though. Houston wasted an early 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, during which OKC made its run to almost steal the win. That’s one explanation as to why the Rockets ranks near the bottom of the league in points given up (106.7).
Then again, they’re scoring a lot more—114.6 per game—and have an unguardable player in Harden, who can take over a game at will. He’s compiling 28.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and an NBA-best 11.9 assists this season.
Betting on the Orlando Magic (16-21)
Orlando should be desperate for a win here before it opens up a long, six-game West Coast road trip. But that’s a long shot from happening if its defense keeps giving away points.
The Magic have lost three of its last four games while allowing 112.7 points on average, including 111 or more in each setback. Meanwhile, the offense also struggled in the latest loss against the Hawks on Wednesday, collecting just 92 points.
Elfrid Payton and Aaron Gordon both led the scoring with 15 points apiece, while Nikola Vucevic and Jeff Green added 10 each off the bench. Evan Fournier, who made his return after a three-game absence, garnered 14 points. He leads Orlando with 17.7 points this season, and should be in line for a better performance against a defensively-vulnerable Houston group.
The Magic are 4-6 SU and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 meeting with the Rockets.
Writer’s Prediction
Houston wins and covers.
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