Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 29/01/2024, 12:27  by Joseph King | Modified on 29/01/2024 at 12:27 in NBA Prediction

A Western Conference clash in the NBA sees the Houston Rockets hosting the LA Lakers at the Toyota Center on Monday night. Houston comes into this clash off the back of losing a close 106-104 game against the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Saturday. It was the team’s third defeat in the last four games as they struggle to snap out of a cold streak which has seen them win just three times in their last 10. The result is a Rockets team sitting 11th in the West standings with a record of 21 wins and 24 losses. As things currently stand, Houston would miss out on the play-in tournament as they trail the 10th-place Jazz by two games. Ime Udoka’s squad has been undone this season by their away form where they’ve posted just a 5-16 record. They’ve excelled on home soil however where they’ve managed to win 16 of their 24 contests.

The Lakers are on the up as they look to climb the Western Conference standings. A wild 145-144 overtime win over the Golden State Warriors marked the second win in a row for Los Angeles as well as their third in the last four games. The winning streak has lifted the Lakers’ record to above .500 at 24-23 and puts them 2.5 games behind the sixth-placed Suns. A spot in the top six would see LA skip the play-in tournament and qualify directly for the postseason. Similarly to their opponents today, the Lakers have experienced plenty of struggles on the road this season. They’ve posted a stellar 17-8 home record but have managed to win just seven of 22 when playing away from the sunny LA skies. The Lakers have both LeBron James and Anthony Davis listed as questionable on the injury report after both logging big minutes against the Warriors.