NBA Free Pick – Monday, January 10, 2011
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Houston Rockets @ Boston Celtics
Pointspread: Celtics -9
Over/Under: OFF
Tonight, the Houston Rockets will try and snap a five-game losing streak with a win against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast live on NBATV.
Houston’s recent slide reached five games with a 103-99 overtime loss to Utah this past Saturday night as a one-point home favorite. This followed a 110-95 loss to Orlando as a nine-point road underdog on Friday night. The Rockets now find themselves 16-21 straight-up on the season and 17-18-2 against the spread. They are in last place in the Southwest Division; 15 games in back of San Antonio and in 10th place in the Western Conference.
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Kevin Martin remains one of the bright spots for Houston; averaging a team-high 23.3 points per game. Luis Scola has also been solid with 19.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. These two players along with Shane Battier have started all 37 games for the Rockets this season. Kyle Lowery has started 29 games and leads the team in assists with 6.8 per game.
Houston is ranked fifth in the league in scoring with 104.8 points per game, but is giving up an average of 104.6 points per game. It is shooting 45.3 percent from the field and hitting 37.5 percent of its shots from three-point range, which is ninth-best in the league.
Boston needs to quickly put Saturday night’s 90-79 loss to Chicago as a two-point road underdog behind itself to get back to its winning ways. The Celtics shot a dreadful 37.8 percent from the field in one of their worst performances of the season. The loss dropped them to 28-8 SU and 18-17-1 ATS. Boston still has a comfortable seven-game lead over New York in the Atlantic Division, but suddenly finds itself a half game behind the streaking Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.
The good news for the Celtics is that Kevin Garnett, who missed the last six games with a leg injury, is expected to be back this week. He remains listed as doubtful for this game but has not been ruled out. He remains the team’s leading rebounder with 9.5 a game. Paul Pierce leads the team with 19.1 points per game and Ray Allen is averaging 17.5. Rajon Rondo continues to lead the league in assists with an average of 13.4 per game.
Boston is averaging 98.9 points per game and leads the league in fewest points allowed; holding the opposition to just 91.4 per game. It also leads the league with a 50.2 shooting percentage from the field and is fifth from three-point range; hitting 38.2 percent of its shots. The Celtics remain one of the worst rebounding teams in the league with an average of just 38.7 per game, but they are holding their opponents to just 38.6 to help even things out.
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Houston is 2-2-1 ATS in its last five road games but is just 0-6-2 ATS in its last eight games overall. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of its last seven games.
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last five games at home but just 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in seven of these games as well.
Head-to-head, the Celtics have lost seven of the last nine games played in Boston SU but has won four out of the last six games SU overall. They are 3-2 ATS in the last five meetings. The total has gone ‘over’ in four of the last seven meetings overall.
The Celtics have flourished at home this season so you can expect them to take full advantage of the comfortable surroundings of the TD Garden with a double-digit victory over the Rockets in the first of a six-game home stand.
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Team records:
- Houston: 16-21 SU, 17-18-2 ATS
- Boston: 28-8 SU, 18-17-1 ATS
Houston Rockets most recently:
- When playing on Monday are 6-4
- Before playing Oklahoma City are 5-5
- After playing Utah are 6-4
- After a loss are 6-4
Boston Celtics most recently:
- When playing on Monday are 7-3
- Before playing Sacramento are 5-5
- After playing Chicago are 6-4
- After a loss are 7-3
A few betting trends to consider:
- Houston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Houston’s last 13 games when playing Boston
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston’s last 6 games on the road
- Houston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
- Boston is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
- Boston is 19-4 SU in its last 23 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Boston’s last 11 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Boston’s last 13 games when playing Houston
Next up:
- Houston home to Oklahoma City, Wednesday, January 12
- Boston home to Sacramento, Wednesday, January 12
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