Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Free Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -13.0 (-110)
Sun May 17 ’09 3:30p – NBA Odds
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The Rockets kept their championship aspirations alive by playing very tough defense at home in Game 6; it isn’t every day you see the Lakers score a feeble 80 points. Houston held LA to an atrocious 35% shooting from the field, but gave up 15 offensive rebounds allowing the Lakers to stay close late in the game. Rockets G Aaron Brooks is having the series of his life averaging 18.3 PPG. He had another big game on Thursday going off for 26 points while grabbing three rebounds and dishing out four assists. The Rockets are 1-5 ATS their L/6 trips to the Staples Center, and they’re a woeful 2-10 ATS off a SU win as an underdog this season.

The Lakers didn’t expect to be on the ropes at the beginning of this series, but thanks to a lack of offense, that’s exactly where they find themselves in Game 7. Los Angeles averaged 106 PPG during the regular season, but has averaged just 99 points per game in this series. Lakers G Kobe Bryant has carried his team offensively averaging 29.6 PPG, which puts him at just under 30% of the Lakers entire scoring production. LA is 3-0 SU in this series when they puscore 100 points or more with two of those three contests being played at home. Los Angeles served up a 40-point woodshed beating in their Game 5 home match-up with the Rockets, and will look to protect its own house in this spot again tonight. The Lakers are 7-3 ATS in their L/10 meetings with the Rockets, and 14-5 ATS when tied in a playoff series since 1996.

History tells us that most teams respond when they’re on the road in an elimination game. However, this season has shown new trends with teams like the Miami Heat and Portland Trail Blazers getting blown out of the water. Look for the Rockets lack of depth inside to cost them here today much like it did in Game 5, and for the Lakers to blow them out of the playoffs by covering another big ‘spread’ on their home floor.

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