The Los Angeles Lakers host the Houston Rockets on Friday night at Crypto.com Arena. Tipoff is set for 10:30PM ET. This is the third and final meeting of the regular season, with both teams winning one game earlier in the year.
Houston comes into this game with a 52-28 record and has locked in the No. 2 seed in the West. The Lakers are 49-31 and fighting to secure the No. 3 spot. They’ve already clinched a playoff berth after beating Dallas 112-97 on Wednesday.
Lakers Preview – Climbing the Standings
The Lakers have won six of their last nine games. Luka Doncic led the way with 45 points in the win over Dallas, his former team. The team also got solid contributions from Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent, who both scored 20 points and hit six threes each.
Los Angeles is 30-10 at home this season. They rank near the top of the league in first-half scoring and are holding opponents to 112.2 points per game. They are strong in the paint and shoot 77.9% from the free throw line, ranking 13th in the league.
The Lakers are 44-34-2 against the spread and have covered in 36 of their last 58 games. They’ve also been one of the league’s best first-half teams, covering the first-half spread in 52 of 87 games. Their goal is clear — win out and secure the No. 3 seed.
Rockets Preview – Rested and Ready for the Playoffs
Houston has nothing left to prove in the regular season after locking up the second seed. In their last game, they rested most of their starters in a 134-117 loss to the Clippers. Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Amen Thompson all sat out.
Jalen Green played limited minutes but is expected to appear again Friday to reach 82 games played for the season. Rookie Reed Sheppard started and scored 20 points, hitting six threes. Houston gave up 19 threes to the Clippers and struggled to contain dribble penetration all game.
The Rockets rank first in the NBA in rebounds (48.7 per game) and offensive boards (14.7). They score 114.4 points per game and attempt the most shots in the league. Free throw shooting is a weakness, as they rank last at just 73.9%.
Betting Prediction
Houston has split the season series with the Lakers but will likely rest starters again. Los Angeles has plenty to play for and is 30-10 at home. Their defense has stepped up, and the offense continues to run through Doncic, who is in form.
The Rockets could be without most of their main lineup again, giving the Lakers a big edge. Expect Los Angeles to control the pace and push the lead early. They should cover at home as Houston saves its legs for the postseason.
Pick: Los Angeles Lakers -6 over Houston Rockets
Take the Lakers to beat the Rockets. This is going to be a great game, and a potential second-round postseason matchup. The veteran team gets the job done at home on Friday.
