Rockets shoot for 11th straight home win over visiting Cavaliers
Published:
Daniel Coyle, American Sports Correspondent | January 15, 2016
Overview
The Rockets’ current tear is their longest this season, a campaign which has seen them swing wildly between lengthy winning and losing streaks, both on the scoreboard and against the spread. Punters can get 3/1 on James Harden scoring 30 points or more, and the Rockets to win in a match special with a maximum stake of £20.
The result has been a dismal 16-24 overall ATS record, covering just seven times on home court.
However, Houston has shown signs of turning the corner during their current hot streak, posting ATS wins in three of their past four, after disappointing in five straight, including three outright losses as betting chalk.
Cavaliers are coming off a 99-95 loss in San Antonio on Thursday, ending an eight-game SU win streak, and handing the Spurs their 32nd straight regular-season victory on their home floor.
Friday night’s matchup closes out the Cavs’ current six-game road trip, their longest of the season.
Cleveland is an impressive 6-1 SU in their past seven on the road, bolstering a dismal early-season performance that saw them fall short in eight of their first 14 on the road, both SU and ATS. But they remain a questionable bet on the road, going 8-12-1 ATS overall during the current campaign, and a feeble 2-5-1 ATS over their past eight.
Lebron James and company also face the task of ending an 11-game road losing streak against the Rockets, with their last victory in Houston coming in December 2001.
Following Friday night’s contest, the Cavaliers head home to prepare for a visit from the Golden State Warriors on Monday, while the Rockets travel to Los Angeles to face the Lakers and Clippers on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
Miami Heat (-2.5) @ Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets will be looking to build on their stunning 112-110 win over the defending champion Warriors when they battle the visiting Miami Heat on Friday as 2.5-point home underdogs in American basketball betting at Coral.
The Nuggets handed GSW just their third SU loss of the season, building a 10-point lead before holding off a furious fourth-quarter onslaught by the Warriors, who netted 37 points in the frame, but failed to even up the score, with Klay Thompson missing on a 24-footer with just two seconds remaining.
Victory improves Denver to 3-1 SU in their past four, ending an ugly 1-9 SU stretch during which they allowed over 108 points per game. The Nuggets have tightened up their defense significantly, allowing just 91.75 points over their past four, forcing the point total UNDER in three of those contests.
Heat stumble into the Mile High City for the fifth stop on their current six-game western swing as SU losers in their past three after dropping a 104-90 decision to the Clippers as 3-point underdogs on Wednesday night.
Miami are a disappointing 7-9 SU on the road during the current campaign, and have historically struggled to post victories in Denver, going 2-11 SU in 13 visits to the Pepsi Center dating back to 2003.
The Heat wrap up their longest road trip of the season on Sunday when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, while the Nuggets host the Indiana Pacers on Sunday in the fourth game of their current eight-game homestand.
h2>Minnesota Timberwolves @ Oklahoma City Thunder (-12.5)
In other NBA betting action at Coral on Friday night, the Thunder will try to keep pace with the Warriors and Spurs at the top of the Western Conference standings when they welcome the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves to town as big 12.5-point chalk.
OKC has won two straight and eight of 10 SU, while the Timberwolves will be looking to halt a devastating eight-game SU losing streak, but have shown glimmers of hope with back-to-back ATS wins, including their home date against the Thunder earlier this week, when they covered as 10.5-point underdogs in a 101-96 loss.
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