Houston At Los Angeles NBA Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

The Western Conference is starting to see some gaps opening up, and we don’t just mean at the top of the standings. Yes, the Golden State Warriors appear to be running away with things again, but there are also bigger chasms starting to open in each of the other playoff spots. The LA Clippers are the perfect example of that in their current #5 seed. They are 10 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets in 8th, but are also 5 games behind the Rockets who are currently occupying the #3 seed. It’s tough to make up any real ground when such distances are in place, but the Clippers will get the opportunity to tighten things up a little when they welcome the Rockets to the Staples Center on Wednesday night. The bigger issue for teams right now is to get into the top 4 so that they will have home court advantage in at least one round of the playoffs. It’s one step at a time for the teams outside that top 4, and the Clippers can take that first step on Wednesday. Find the latest NBA betting lines here.

Here’s A Closer Look At Houston At Los Angeles NBA Lines, Expert Pick & TV Info

When: Wednesday, March 1 at 10:30 PM EST Where: Staples Center, LA TV: ESPN Radio: KBME and WLAC Live Stream: Watch ESPN NBA Odds: TBA    

Why bet on the Houston Rockets

Given how poorly things went for the Rockets last season, there have been some NBA fans sitting around waiting for this team to fold this year. That has not come to pass, and it’s beginning to look as though this team might just be for real. They are once again being led by the exploits of James Harden, but he is getting the help that was sorely lacking last season. This team has been consistent all year, and they are currently 7-3 in their last 10 games. They do have a weak spot in that they are just 12-14 versus teams with a winning record, but one of those wins came against this Clippers team in their last meeting, which was a 140-116 blowout in favor of Houston.

Why bet on the LA Clippers

One word that you cannot use to describe this LA Clippers team is consistent. There are times when they look great, but also too many nights when they just don’t seem to show up at all. This is borne out by their 5-5 record in the last 10 games, which is simply not good enough for a team looking to crack the top 4 in a very talented Western Conference. The good news is that the Clippers are usually pretty solid at home, where they have a 19-9 record this season. The downside is that they are like the Rockets in that they have a tougher time versus teams with winning records, going 13-14 versus that group.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I have to say that I am a little undecided on how this one might play out, but I don’t get to sit on the fence when it comes to making picks. The Rockets are playing good ball right now, so I’m going with them for the win.

Houston Rockets 123 LA Clippers 117