Rockets vs. Trail Blazers Preview
PORTLAND, OR (AP) – After a strong push late in December, the Houston Rockets have a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season in their first January game. However, winning in Portland has proven to be a very difficult task lately.
The Rockets look to continue their offensive surge Sunday night when they visit the Trail Blazers, winners of seven straight at home.
Houston (16-16) has won 16 of 27 since opening the season with five losses, and finished December on a hot streak, winning six of seven and eight of 10. The Rockets bounced back from a loss to red-hot Miami with a 114-105 victory over visiting Toronto on New Year’s Eve.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Trail Blazers -3 point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against the Rockets. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 64% of more than 166 bets for this game have been placed on the Trail Blazers -3.
They’ve been on an offensive tear over that 8-2 stretch, averaging 108.9 points. Houston received a big contribution Friday night from Chase Budinger, who scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while rookie Patrick Patterson added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Patterson, who was on the floor 25 minutes after minimal playing time in three previous games, saw additional action with Chuck Hayes out because of a sprained ankle. Jordan Hill started in place of Hayes, who is expected to be sidelined two to four weeks.
“I hate to step on the court because a teammates goes down,” said Patterson, Houston’s first-round draft pick last year. “I saw it as an opportunity and I tried to seize the moment.”
The Rockets fell short in their last attempt to move above .500, losing 125-119 to Miami on Wednesday.
“We want to stay at .500 and continue to get better,” Courtney Lee said. “We’re just going to go with the same mentality to go out there and execute ourselves on the offensive and defensive end and hopefully come out with the win.”
Like Houston, Portland (17-16) continues to play well despite injuries. Before a 100-89 win over Utah on Thursday, the Blazers announced that second-leading scorer Brandon Roy will be out “indefinitely” because of sore knees.
“In the short term, we’re going to proceed with an extended period of rest,” general manager Rich Cho said in a statement. “Beyond that, we’re looking at all available treatment options to help better determine a course of action.”
Roy, averaging 16.6 points in 23 games, hasn’t ruled out surgery or sitting out the rest of the season.
“It’s a possibility. That is a possibility,” he said. “But don’t even want to go that far to say that.”
Even without Roy, the Blazers have won five of seven and are looking to win eight straight at home for the first time since a 12-game run Jan. 24-March 9, 2009.
Defense has been key to their recent play. They’ve held their last three opponents to 91.7 points and scored 26 points off 17 Jazz turnovers Thursday.
Also playing a major role is LaMarcus Aldridge, averaging 25.4 points and 10.2 rebounds in his last eight games.
Portland has won three in a row at home over Houston, which has been held below 90 points in the last two games there.
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