NBA Playoff Odds: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Houston Rockets Game 6
Facing a 3-1 deficit, the Portland Trail Blazers were able to stay alive with an 88-77 win on Tuesday night. If they want to live to see another day, they’ll have to win in Houston for the first time in this series. You can catch this Game 6 matchup on Thursday, April 30th at 9:30 pm EST on TNT. NBA odds makers have listed the Houston Rockets as a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 180.
Chalk it up to inexperience or lack of toughness or whatever you want for Portland, but the fact of the matter is that the No. 5 seed Houston Rockets are on the verge of upsetting the No. 4 seed Portland Trail Blazers. If the Blazers are going to extend this series, they’ll have to do something that they have struggled to do throughout the season, and that’s win on the road. Portland was just a 20-21 road team during the regular season and has not been able to get the job done away from home in the playoffs. The odds are not in Portland’s favor as it is just 1-7 at Houston over the last three seasons. The good news is that many of these losses have been close, including the two in this series. So perhaps the Blazers can break through if they can find a way to keep Yao Ming in check. When Yao has scored 20 points or more in this series the Rockets have not lost. Brandon Roy has been sensational for the Blazers, averaging 27.6 points per game in the series while making All-NBA defenders Ron Artest and Shane Battier look helpless at times. LaMarcus Aldridge has been rock solid as well with an 18.2 points per game scoring average. What this tells us is that Portland needs a consistent third scorer, preferably a dominant post presence that could get Yao in foul trouble, but Portland bigs Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla have been major disappointments in this series. If you think Portland has what it takes to force a Game 7, bet the Trail Blazers at +4.5 at Bookmaker and receive a 20 percent cash sign up bonus.
Houston does not get many style points, but it’s defensive minded, half court brand of basketball has it on the brink of getting out of the first round, and that’s big news for this franchise. With their two home playoff wins, the Rockets are now 35-8 on their home floor this season and they’ll get a chance to close out the Blazers in front of their home fans on Thursday night. Yao Ming has been a handful for the Blazers, but I can’t say enough about the play of Aaron Brooks. We’ve heard a lot about young point guards Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose in these playoffs, but Brooks deserves some of the spotlight as well. He is averaging 15.8 points per game in these playoffs, and he gives the Rockets a player who is good in transition and someone who can create their own shot in the absence of Tracy McGrady. If you think Houston slams the door on Portland Thursday night, bet the Rockets at -4.5 at Bookmaker.
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