Houston Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 24/01/2024, 07:13  by Joseph King | Modified on 24/01/2024 at 12:00 in NBA Prediction

A Western Conference battle in the NBA sees the 11th-place Rockets hosting the 14th-place Trail Blazers on Wednesday night. Houston comes into this matchup with 20 wins and 22 loses which sees them trailing 10-place Utah by just half a game for a spot in the play. The Rockets are attempting to turn around a nasty stretch of form which has seen them lose seven of the last 10 games. The hosts are coming off a 116-107 loss to the Boston Celtics on the road in their last appearance. It’s been a common problem for the Rockets this season as they have struggled to maintain their stellar results on their home court when taking to the road. Houston has posted a 16-7 record at the Toyota Center compared to 4-15 away. They’ve excelled on the defensive side of the ball this campaign where they are giving up the third fewest points per game on home court (107.5).

Portland comes into this matchup off the back of a close 111-109 loss away from home to the OKC Thunder. It was the second consecutive loss for the team which moved their record to 12-31 on the season. This has the Trail Blazers sitting 14th in the Western Conference, ahead of only the San Antonio Spurs. Portland are in a rebuilding year after trading away star point guard Damian Lillard before the season started. Their young squad has struggled all year with consistent scoring as they rank last in the league in adjusted offensive rating, last in effective field goal percentage (50.2%) and 23rd in three-point percentage (35.6%). They’ve managed slightly better results at the Moda Center in Portland but have found it tough when taking to the road where they have a 5-19 record.