Raptors vs Rockets Pick, Preview & Betting Odds For Friday, February 3rd

Check out our free Raptors vs Rockets pick and preview for this NBA game in Houston. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this NBA matchup.

Raptors vs Rockets NBA Pick & Preview

Sport: NBA
Teams: Toronto Raptors at Houston Rockets
Where: Houston at Toyota Center
Date: Friday, February 3rd
Betting Odds HOU +6, TOR -252 | HOU +205 O/U OFF

The Raptors come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 23-30. So far, the team has gone 26-27-0 against the spread. Against the Rockets, the Raptors are looking to break out of a 2 game losing streak. They have lost these games by an average of -5.5 points.

Toronto is trying to bounce back from a 131-128 loss to the Jazz. Going into this game, the team was 2 point underdogs on the spread, giving them an ATS loss. Toronto was not able to turn things around in the 2nd half, as they trailed the Jazz by 3 going into halftime. Leading the team in scoring was Fred VanVleet, as he contributed 34 points while hitting 48.0% of his shots.

The Rockets come into today’s matchup with an overall record of 13-38. So far, the team has gone 19-30-2 against the spread. In today’s game, Houston will look to extend their 2 game winning streak. Over this stretch, they have an average scoring margin of 4.5 points.

The Rockets are coming off a 112-106 win over the Thunder. This win came despite entering the game as the 6 point underdogs. Houston went on to win the game, as they led by 9 heading into halftime. Leading the team in scoring was Eric Gordon, as he contributed 25 points while hitting 47.1% of his shots.

Head To Head Recap & Stats

I In last year’s head-to-head meetings, the Raptors averaged 128.0 points per game vs Houston, which was an increase over their season-long average. On the other side, the Rockets also experienced an uptick in scoring during head-to-head matchups, averaging 117.5 points per game vs Toronto. When looking at how these teams have performed vs the spread in recent matchups, the Rockets have an ATS mark of 3-2. Yet, the Raptors have averaged more points per game in these contests, at 118 compared to Houston at 118. A combined average of 232 points per game was achieved in these matchups, leading to an over-under mark of 4-1.

Odds & Free Betting Analysis For This NBA Game

Through 53 games, Toronto is averaging 113.1 points per game (19th). When looking at the team’s pace of play, the Raptors are currently below the league average in possessions per game, averaging just 97.2 per contest. A key aspect of the team’s offensive struggles is the fact that they not only play at a slow pace, but they struggle to score inside. Heading into today’s game, Toronto is just 13th in shots made inside the arc.

On the defensive end of the floor, the Raptors are giving up an average of 107.1 points per game, good for 7th in the NBA.

This season, the Raptors offense has primarily worked through Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet who are 1st and 2nd on the team in scoring. In his 43 games, Siakam is 22nd in the NBA at 24.9 points per game. So far, him and VanVleet have accounted for 38% of the team’s field goal attempts while combining to average 44.4 points per contest. In addition to sitting 2nd on the team in scoring, Fred VanVleet is grabbing 4.5 rebounds for Toronto to go along with 6.6 assists.

For the season, the Rockets offensive unit is ranked just 29th in scoring at 109.6 points per contest. Coming into today’s game, the Rockets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 11.1 made 3’s per game. If Houston continues to struggle with their outside shot, they may look to start playing with more pace, as they are currently 17th in the league in possessions per game.

Defensively, Houston has had its problems giving up an average of 118.2 points per game (30th).

Keep in mind that the top two scorers for the Rockets, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr., will not be playing in today’s game. This season, Green has been averaging 21.7 points per game, and Porter Jr. has been averaging 19.2 points per game.