Rockets vs. Clippers Betting Line – January 18
Carrie Stroup here with your Rockets vs. Clippers betting line for Monday night L.A Clippers -5, Total: 209
Both the Rockets and Clippers will be looking to get back on track when the teams meet at Staples Center on Monday.
The Rockets will be coming into this game a bit tired after playing against the Lakers on Sunday night, but the travel will not be an issue considering the Lakers and Clippers share the same building.
The Clippers, meanwhile, were four-point home favorites against the Kings on Saturday and lost 110-103. Los Angeles had been hot entering that game and will be hoping to get right back into the win column with a win at home in this one.
Houston has dominated this head-to-head series this season already though. Houston has won-and-covered in both meetings between these teams, and one of those victories was in Los Angeles too. One thing worth noting about the Clippers is that they are 4-8-1 ATS when coming off of a SU loss on the season.
C DeAndre Jordan (Illness) is questionable for Los Angeles, which is without PF Blake Griffin (Quad) for the next couple of games.
The Rockets have played very well against the Clippers this season and that has everything to do with SG James Harden dominating in this matchup. In two meetings with Los Angeles, Harden is averaging an absurd 32.0 PPG with 6.5 APG and 4.5 RPG. Harden is also shooting very well in those games, shooting 46.2% from the field. If he can keep up his efficiency and continue to score the way he has against the Clippers then the Rockets have a good shot of winning on the road in this one.
C Dwight Howard has also been absolutely dominant against the Clippers this season. In the two meetings, Howard is averaging 21.0 PPG, 17.0 RPG and 1.5 BPG. He could be in for an even bigger game if he happens to be going up against the Clippers without DeAndre Jordan. If Jordan doesn’t play then Los Angeles has nobody with the size and athleticism to stay with Howard the entire game. Houston would be wise to pound it into Howard often.
The Clippers will be facing a Rockets team that should be pretty tired after playing the Lakers the night before. That will mean that PG Chris Paul will be looking to push the pace. Paul has played extremely well recently, averaging 20.2 PPG and 11.2 APG over the past five games. Paul did really struggle against the Rockets in his only game against the team this season. Paul played 31 minutes in that game and went just 3-for-13 from the field. He’ll need to be a lot better on Monday or his team will have trouble winning without Griffin.
It’s also important that C DeAndre Jordan (11.6 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG) is back on the court in this one. Dwight Howard will give Los Angeles a lot of trouble if Jordan doesn’t play. There also isn’t somebody that can fill in for Jordan in general. Without Griffin and Howard, this team does not have the athleticism it needs to play the way Doc Rivers wants.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com
