Rockets vs. Clippers NBA Odds and Preview – February 17th, 2022

By Carlos Chacon • February 17, 2022

The Denver Nuggets hit the road to face the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night. Steve Kerr and company picked up three losses in four games. They recently fell in the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers, 119-104. The hosts look to rebound from an underwhelming week as they take on the Nuggets. Meanwhile, the visitors won four of their last five games. This was after suffering a three-game losing streak. The side looks good and is ready to challenge the second-best team in the Western Conference.

Get a full preview of the Rockets vs. Clippers game down below. Nitrobetting goes over the game’s important points, including event details, team and player stats, and the latest NBA betting odds. More than that, we share crucial betting trends and predictions that help you lock in on the best picks.

Rockets vs. Clippers Game Information

Repetition is ?. pic.twitter.com/geiCL37rPR
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 16, 2022

When: Thursday, February 17, 2022, 10:30 PM ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
TV: NBA TV
Radio: SportsTalk 790 (Rockets) / 710 ESPNLA (Clippers)
Live Stream: NBA League Pass
NBA Betting Odds: TBA

Why Bet on the Houston Rockets?

The Rockets are graced with young talent. But, the team can’t seem to find its footing against teams that feature seasoned players. Houston managed to pick up three wins in ten road games and could play against the team in a loud Crypto.com Arena.

Rockets do significantly better than their opponents in the short range. They hit 53.8% of their two-point attempts (11th) while maintaining a 34.4% three-point percentage (20th). The visitors also have a better effective field goal percentage at 52.9% (13th) as opposed to the Clippers’ 52.3% (20th). They have an incredible presence in the paint as Houston averages 48.5 points (eighth) in the area.

Defense is not the team’s strongest suit. They allow 117.6 opponent points (30th) per game. The Rockets are also short-handed on shooting defense, allowing teams to hit 57.3% of their two-point (30th) and 35.4% of their three-point (18th) attempts. However, the Rockets can try and overcome the Clippers in rebounding. The visitors collect 52.5 total boards (17th) which shows a slight improvement over their opponent’s 51.1 total rebounds (24th) per game.

Starters Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. have to sit the game out due to injury. This calls for recent addition Dennis Schroder to suit up, while Alperen Sengun fills Wood’s shoes.

Why Bet on the Golden State Warriors?

The Clippers continue their search for consistency. There were only a handful of times where the team picked up good momentum this season. They now have four wins in ten games and picked up a second defeat to the Suns this season.

The team might not have the most threatening offense in the league right now. However, they have the attacking edge over the Rockets in this matchup. The Clippers average 106.3 points (25th) per game on 45.3% shooting (20th). They do well from beyond the arc and hit 36.0% of their three-point attempts (eighth).

Most of the work comes from the Clippers’ defense. The team limits their opponents to 107.6 points (11th) per game. They also have incredible shooting defense, averaging a 44.7% opponent shooting percentage (eighth). This involves a 51.3% opponent two-point (sixth) and 33.6% three-point (sixth) percentage. As a team, the Clippers record a 51.1% opponent effective field goal percentage (fifth) in 60 games played.

Reggie Jackson leads the team in scoring without top-tier scorer Paul George in the lineup. He averages 16.64 points per game, while Marcus Morris Sr. stays right behind him with 15.89 PPG. The damaged lineup also gives Nicolas Batum and Terance Mann more exposure as they start the game on Thursday night.

Rockets vs. Clippers Betting Trends

The Rockets are 3-3 in their last six road games against the Clippers (4-2 ATS).
The Rockets are 4-6 in their last ten road games (6-4 ATS).
The totals went under in two of the Rockets’ last five games against the Clippers.
The Clippers are 4-1 in their last five games at the Crypto.com Arena (3-2 ATS).
The Clippers are 6-4 in their last ten games against the Rockets (4-6 ATS).
The totals went over in six of the Clippers’ last ten home games against the Rockets.

Rockets vs. Clippers Expert Betting Prediction

The Rockets have another great challenge ahead of them in this matchup. However, the team can sneak one past a struggling Clippers team. They pulled off surprising wins in the season, including one against Chicago and Utah. Additionally, covering the spread should be feasible for the Rockets. Meanwhile, there’s a desperate Tyronn Lue at the other end of the spectrum. He’s done a terrific job despite the injuries the team had to go through. Having a home-court advantage also gives the team some more breathing room against the challengers.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at NitroBetting news. Stay tuned for more NBA game previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest Basketball betting odds on the sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.