The Toronto Raptors (43-30) take on the visiting Houston Rockets (49-23) at the Air Canada Centre. The game starts at 7:30 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 30 and will air on NBATV, ROOT-SW and TSN2.
The Raptors were victorious over the Lakers 94-83 on Friday. James Johnson had 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists for Toronto. The Rockets, meanwhile, are coming off a 120-110 win over the Timberwolves on Friday. James Harden shot 9-for-19 and led in scoring with 33 points.
Harden has been on a tear over the last five games for the Rockets, averaging 33.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.8 steals, 1.0 block, and 3.0 three-pointers.
Based on each team’s statistical profile, ball protection could play an integral role in this matchup. The Raptors commit the third-fewest miscues in the NBA (turnover percentage of 12.5%), while the gambling defense of Toronto forces the fifth-most (opponents’ turnover percentage of 15.6%).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Rockets won the first game 98-76. Johnson scored a game-high with 27 points.
The odds are even for this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is presently unavailable. The Raptors enter the game with records of 43-30 Straight Up (SU) and 33-39-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 14-14 SU and 11-16-1 ATS against teams from the Western Conference. The Raptors have one of the most prolific offenses in the entire league, averaging 104.2 points per game. The Raptors are an exceptional shooting team from the line with 19.6 free throws made per game, one of the highest marks in the NBA.
Across the court, the Rockets head into the game with records of 42-30 ATS and 49-23 SU. In Eastern Conference games, Houston has gone 21-6 SU and 17-10 ATS. The Rockets are an excellent long-range shooting team with an NBA-best 830 three-point shots made (11.5 per game). Switching gears to Houston’s defense, teams seem to consistently miss three-point shots against the Rockets, who are the top team in the league in terms of three-point field goal percentage allowed at .318. A large part of Houston’s game is creating turnovers and turning them into points. They are scoring 19.0 points per game off turnovers, which ranks third in the league.
Following the Rockets’ latest win over Toronto, their SU record against the Raptors moves to 6-4 over the last 10 meetings. However, the Raptors lead the matchup ATS with a record of 6-3-1. Houston has held the edge in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) three times over the last 10, while Toronto accomplished this once.
Predictions: SU Winner – HOU, ATS Winner – HOU
Notes
On average, Houston scores 103.5 points per game (ranked seventh). Toronto ranks 22nd in points allowed per game with 101.2.
On average, Toronto gives up 98.2 points per home game. Houston averages 104.6 points per away game, ranking the team fourth in scoring.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Rockets are 32-3 on the season. When the Raptors score fewer than 100, they are an underachieving 8-17.
When the Houston Rockets allow at least 100 points they are 17-20, while the Toronto Raptors are 35-13 when they reach the century mark.
The Raptors have a defensive rating of 104.8 (ranked 25th), while the Rockets rank 12th for their offensive rating of 103.6.
Toronto has an average field goal percentage of 45.4%. Houston is a poor 12-20 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Toronto Raptors and the Houston Rockets both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Toronto is 13th and eighth in the league for FG% and EFF% respectively, while Houston is 21st and seventh in these categories.
On average, the Houston Rockets make 22.3 assists per game and the Toronto Raptors make 20.8. Houston is ranked eighth, while Toronto is ranked 20th.
The Toronto Raptors average 4.3 blocks per game for a rank of 23rd. The Houston Rockets rank higher (12th), earning 4.8 blocks each contest.
The Toronto Raptors rank 15th in offensive rebounding, while the Houston Rockets rank 21st in defensive rebounding.
Making 9.5 steals per game, Houston is ranked fourth in the NBA. Toronto has a winning 9-5 record when it allows at least 9 steals.
