NBA: Toronto Raptors vs Houston Rockets Betting Preview

Toronto Raptors host Houston Rockets in a match up between two of the best and hottest teams in the NBA that features two of the best players in the league in Kawhi Leonard and James Harden!

Toronto Raptors

Raptors have been playing some great basketball for the past month, despite losing their last game to Detroit in OT, they are 9-2 in their last 11 games. Toronto’s only losses in this stretch have came with Kawhi sitting out both Orlando and Detroit games which they lost. Kawhi Leonard himself is expected to play in this match up after sitting out the Detroit game. Toronto are currently 2^nd seeded in the East with a 46-18 record and are 2 games off the top seeded Bucks thus still within a decent shot of getting the 1^st seed if they continue to play good basketball. A lot of things are currently going well for Toronto. Pascal Siakam is playing well, Kyle Lowry has returned to form, Kawhi Leonard is looking dominant, the depth players are playing well and just in general the team looks like a true contender at the moment. Toronto are 27-6 at home this season where they’ve been extremely tough to beat, teams like Philly twice, Boston twice, Golden State, Indiana twice have fallen here and it will be a tough task for their opponents Rockets to knock them off. Raptors are pretty much healthy except from Fred VanVleet who continues to be out with a long term injury.

Injury Report

Kawhi Leonard – Expected to Play

Fred VanVleet – OUT

Houston Rockets

Houston are on red hot form. Currently 5^th seeded at 38-25, just 1 game away from 3^rd/4^th seeded teams the Rockets look like they will be moving up the standings soon with their current play. Houston have won 5 consecutive games including picking up wins at Golden State and Boston during this stretch. Rockets beat Boston 115-104 in their last game after Harden went off for 42 and Gordon added 32 with Chris Paul playing great too. Houston have finally gotten healthy which has really helped them in returning to great form. Chris Paul is back to his best, Clint Capela is back, Eric Gordon is rolling, Harden continues to play ridiculous basketball. One worry for Houston entering this game is the bench due to questionable availability of Faried and Shumpert which could weaken their bench as we saw in Boston as the bench struggled without them. Faried especially could be a big miss since he was playing great prior to going out for the last 2 games. If these two don’t play then Houston’s starting line-up will likely have to perform at a very high level against as in their last couple of games. Houston have been an improved team on the road too winning 7 of last 10 on the road after being 9-13 on the road prior to this stretch and now they’re 16-16. Houston did beat Toronto in the first meeting 121-119 at home despite being depleted on a few key players including Paul and Capela in that match up.

Injury Report

Kenneth Faried – Questionable

Iman Shumpert – Questionable

Betting Stats

Totals

Toronto Raptors have covered 51.5% of their total point overs at home in the NBA this season (17-16). The total for this game is 228.5 points. Raptors have had a 228.5 point total twice before at home against Washington which resulted with an over as they won 125-107 and Atlanta which resulted with an under in a 104-101 win.

Rockets have covered 40.6% of their total point overs on the road this season (13-2-17). Rockets haven’t had a 228.5 point total on the road before but have had a very close 228 total twice on the road before against Phoenix which ended with a Void as Houston won 118-110 and against New Orleans which ended with an under in a 108-104 win.

 

Handicaps

Raptors have only covered 45.4% of their Handicaps at home this season. Raptors are 3 point favourites in this game. Raptors have had a -3 Handicap at home once this season against Milwaukee which they failed to cover losing 92-105, they also had a close -3.5 Handicap against Boston which they did cover winning 113-101.

Rockets have covered 40.6% of their road Handicaps this season (13-2-17). Rockets have covered each of their last 3 however which shows their improvement in performance. Rockets have not had a +3 road Handicap before, but the closest to it that they’ve had was +2.5 twice in Boston in their last game which they of course covered winning the game 115-104 and against the Clippers which they failed to cover losing 115-112. They also had a +3.5 Handicap in Philadelphia which they did not manage to cover as they got blown out 121-93.

Recent H2H in Toronto

Raptors have dominated the Rockets in Toronto during this decade winning 6 of 8 home games against Houston.

Raptors last met the Rockets at home last March pretty much around the same date and Toronto came away with a 108-105 win. Raptors covered a +3 Handicap and Total 220 points ended with an under as teams totalled 213 points.

 

TIP OFF – 6^th March 2019 – 1am UK Time