Tonight in Houston’s Toyota Center, the Rockets (20-12) would like to extend their Yao’less winning streak to five but the Utah Jazz present a more imposing problem. They are winners, unlike the previous four opponents, the Sonics, Grizzlies, Hawks and Nets with sub-500 records. The Jazz are the first of five teams Houston will play with records of 500 or better. Winners of two in a row, Utah is coming to Houston with a 23-9 record, the second best in the NBA. In the game, the Rockets are favored by a -3.0 chalk at most offshore sportsbooks with a total of 185 ½.
Utah has exceeded expectations this season and is now looking at loftier goals than just making the playoffs. In the past two years the Jazz have acquired Carlos Boozer, Mehmeet Okur and Deron Williams who along with Andrei Kirilenko have molded into a solid core the Jazz can ride into the playoffs and hopefully beyond.
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The Jazz will be facing an injury challenged team with Houston and Big-man Yao Ming isn’t the only one ailing on the Rocket’s roster. The team entered the season with only 14 healthy players and now they have lost Kirk Snyder (broken wrist) Bonzi Wells (bad back) and Bob Sura is trying to rehab his knees and back.
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Looking on the positive side of things for the Rockets, Tracy McGrady is tearing up the scoreboard over the last three games by scoring at least 31 points and Dikembe Mutombo is averaging 12.8 rebounds over the last four games.
Mutumbo is closing in on becoming the No. 2 best shot blocker of all-time in the NBA only needing seven more blocked shots to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with 3,189. Then Mutumbo can set his sights on No. 1 in former Rocket Hakeem Olajuwon with 3,833 blocked shots in his career.
Utah is the final game of a four-game home-stand for Houston of which the Rockets have failed to cover the betting line against the spread. The Rockets carried a -9.0 point calk against Seattle but just missed a push by a bucket winning by seven. Houston was also a -9.0 favorite over Memphis and only won the game SU by two. In both games, the OVER has cashed on total’s betting. Utah has won four of its last five games straight up but has struggled ATS going 4-1-1 in its last six games.
