Houston Rockets vs Boston Celtics Betting Pick & Prediction 1/13/24

The Rockets are 15.5-point underdogs in this non-conference matchup against the Celtics. Houston comes into the game with a record of 19-18 and is currently 9th in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, Boston is favored by 15.5 and has a record of 29-9. The Celtics are 1st in the East and will be looking to extend their lead over the Raptors.

HOUSTON ROCKETS VS BOSTON CELTICS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Rockets +15.5

This game will be played at TD Garden at 7:00 ET on Saturday, January 13th.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 118-115 in favor of the Rockets.
• Our projections have Jalen Green finishing with Jalen Green points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
• From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.1% and knocking down 11 threes.

Will the Rockets Make it Happen in Boston?

As the 9th seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets have an overall record of 19-18. In non-conference games, they are 5-8 compared to 14-10 against other Western Conference teams.

When playing on the road, the Rockets are 4-12 straight up and 6-9 ATS. They are also 4-12 vs. the O/U line on the road, with an average scoring differential of -4.9 points per game.

As the underdog, the Rockets have gone 9-16 straight up and 12-12 ATS. They have lost their last two games as the underdog, and their O/U record for the season is 16-21.

Houston’s last game was a 112-110 win over the Pistons. They were favored by 9 points going into the game, but they failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 222 points was also below the O/U line of 225.5.

This season, the Rockets have been the underdog in 25 of their 37 games. Their average scoring differential as the underdog is -1.4 points per game. Against the spread, they have lost three straight as the underdog.

For the year, Houston’s O/U record is 16-21, and 33 of their games have had lower over/under lines than 228.5. The average over/under line in their games this season is 222.2, and their games have averaged 223.2 points.

On the season, the Rockets are averaging 112.6 points per game, which ranks 23rd in the NBA. When playing on the road, Houston’s scoring average drops slightly to 111.2 points per game.

So far, the Rockets have outscored the NBA scoring average in 40.5% of their games. In terms of pace, Houston is 20th in the league at 98.4 possessions per game.

When it comes to field goal percentage, the Rockets are 24th in the NBA at 46%. In terms of two-point shooting, Houston is 23rd in the league at 52%.

This season, the Rockets’ defense is the 2nd ranked defense in the NBA at 2nd PPG. So far, they have held opposing offenses below the NBA scoring average in 59.5% of their games. The Houston defense has allowed opponents to shoot 33.1% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 45.4% of their field goal attempts vs. Houston.

Will Boston Make it Happen at Home?

Boston comes into today’s game with a record of 29-9, which has them in 1st place in the Eastern Conference. In non-conference games, they are 7-3 compared to 22-6 against other teams in the East.

When playing at home, the Celtics are a perfect 18-0 this season. Their average scoring margin at home is +14.6 PPG. As the favorite, Boston is 27-8 straight up and 15-18 vs. the spread.

In their last game, the Celtics lost to the Bucks by a score of 135-102. They were 2-point underdogs going into the game, and the combined points came in at 237, which was below the O/U line of 247.5.

The average O/U line in Boston’s games this season is 230.5, slightly higher than today’s line of 228.5. So far, 19 of their games have had lower O/U lines than this, and their O/U record for the season is 21-17.

As for their ATS record, Boston is 17-19 this season. They have failed to cover the spread in three straight games. At home, their ATS record is 10-7, and they are 2-1 ATS as the underdog.

The Celtics have been one of the NBA’s most potent offenses this season, averaging 120.8 points per game. At home, they are scoring 123.3 points per game. So far, they have outscored the NBA scoring average in 71.1% of their games.

When it comes to three-point shooting, the Celtics lead the NBA in both three-pointers made and attempted per game. However, they are just 9th in three-point shooting percentage at 37%. Overall, Boston is shooting 47% from the field, which is 11th in the league.

Coming into this game, the Celtics are 18th in pace at 98.8 possessions per game. In terms of assists, they are 20th in the NBA. In terms of free throws, Boston is 15th in both attempts and makes.

Coming into today’s game, the Celtics’ defense is giving up an average of 111.6 points per contest. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Celtics are forcing 12.3 per game, which is 7th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 3rd in blocked shots at 6.3 per game.