Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Picks & Odds: February 22nd
Free Sports Picks, NBA Basketball Picks February 22nd, 2008Free NBA Picks: Houston Rockets +4.0
Fri February 22 ‘08 8:05p - Click Here for Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Odds
Even on the second night of back-2-backs, the Rockets are playing too well right now to be underdogs in this price range. Houston is the hottest team in the NBA, winners of ten straight, going 8-2 ATS in the process. The Rockets are 9-2 against the number in their last eleven on the road; 9-2-1 ATS as an underdog this year including outright wins in their last three tries as a road dog. Rick Adelman’s team is getting tremendous play from their role players. Yao and T-Mac make the headlines in Houston, but the reality is that their overall level of improved play has come due to the success of their other guys – pint sized point guard Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Luther Head.
Don’t expect the trade between these two teams that was completed before the deadline yesterday to have much impact on the Rockets overall chemistry and flow. Mike James hadn’t played significant minutes since December; sitting on the bench for the full 48 minutes in 19 of the Rockets last 25 games. Bonzi Wells never really fit in with what Adelman was trying to do on either end of the court, in sharp contrast to the just acquired Bobby Jackson who played the best basketball of his career under Adelman’s tutelage back in Sacramento. At least for the purposes of this game, the Rockets got the immediate injection of talent and energy from yesterday’s deal, as Wells and James will have a learning curve in New Orleans that Jackson won’t have for the Rockets.
The series history between these two teams is all about the road underdog cashing tickets. The road team is 9-2 ATS in the last eleven meetings, while the underdog has cashed at a 16-5 clip the last 21 times these two teams have faced off against one another. When the Hornets beat the Rockets in Houston last month, the Rockets Tracy McGrady was sitting on the sidelines in street clothes. With T-Mac back in the lineup tonight, expect Houston to get their revenge. Take the Rockets.