Written by Rohit Ghosh
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Rockets vs. Trail Blazers: Preview and Picks

Down double digits with less than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of game one, the Portland Trail Blazers led by LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard found a way to make shots and lock down on defense when it mattered most. Their late-game rally resulted in a 122-120 overtime victory in Houston as Aldridge and Lillard combined for 38 of the team’s 49 fourth quarter and overtime points.

The final periods of game one were a tale of two stories as James Harden couldn’t buy a basket, finishing 8-28 from the field and 3-14 from downtown. In reference to the Law of Averages, game two should see a lesser Aldridge and a far superior Harden. But with Portland being 5-0 SU/ATS in its last five road games, the Rockets must focus on playing a full 48-minute game if they want to tie the series up at one game apiece.



AccuScore has the Rockets as solid 75.6 percent favorites to win game two Wednesday. The average score after 10,000 simulations is 112-104, with Houston having a 57.1 percent chance of covering the -6 spread. While both teams have a comparable probability at a close win (4 points or less), the Rockets have five times the chance of the Blazers at a big win (10 points or more).

AccuScore has odds for every game along with star-rated picks against the spread and on Over/Unders for every postseason game. See: NBA Playoffs Odds and Picks

Betting Trend to Follow: The total has gone over in eight of the 10 meetings between the two teams in Houston. However, according to Pro Cappers, the average total points scored in the last 32 games between Portland and Houston is 186.5 per game. Based on this trend, pickin the UNDER would be the safer pick.

There is a 51.7 percent chance the total combined score goes OVER 214.5.

Rockets vs. Blazers: Projected Leaders

LaMarcus Aldridge: 25 points (43% FG), 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 1 steal
Damian Lillard: 18 points (41% FG), 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 TOs
Dwight Howard: 18 points(58% FG, 54% FT), 13 rebounds, 2 blocks
James Harden: 28 points (43% FG), 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 TOs

Home vs Away

In the regular season, Portland played 42 games on the road (24-18), averaging 106.2 points per game, and giving up 104.5 points per game. Houston has played 42 games at home (33-9), averaging 109.5 points per game and allowing 100.7 points per game. Bettors looking at historical trends should feel safe taking Houston both on the money line and the spread.

What to Watch For

Portland is No. 7 in the league in limiting its opponents’ turnovers. Houston is in the middle of the pack (No. 18) in average assists per game. An important part of Portland’s attack in game one was forcing Houston to rely on iso-heavy possessions. Houston leads the league in three-pointers made with 9.5 per game, a majority of which tend to come off kick-outs, whether it be from the post or off a drive. Keep an eye on Houston’s possessions and whether or not they slow the pace down slightly by featuring Howard even more in the post. While Howard is less efficient in the post than on the pick and roll, a more consistent inside-out game may result in better outside shooting for the entirety of game two.