Offense meets defense tonight as the free wheeling Houston Rockets host the grind it out Indiana Pacers at the Toyota Center. Start time in this evening’s East versus West showdown is set for 8:00pm ET; the game can be seen live on Fox Sports Midwest. NBA Odds have the Rockets listed as a -4.5 against the spread favorite and the Over/Under set at 196.5 points. Indiana is drawing +170 moneyline odds ($100 wins $170) to record win number 45.
Indiana will not win the top seed in the Eastern Conference, but it stands a great chance at securing the two seed. The Pacers, at 44-27, are locked in a tight race with the New York Knicks as both squads trail the first place Heat by 12.5 games.
Indiana aided its cause on Monday night, registering its fourth win in five games with a 100-94 home win over the Atlanta Hawks. The win, which featured six Pacers with double figures in scoring, marked the fifth straight game Indiana held its opposition to 94 or fewer points (83.8 points per game allowed in its last five games).
The red hot Rockets are also fighting for playoff seeding as they are just a game back of the sixth place Warriors. Houston, which leads the NBA with a 106.4 point per game average, recorded its third straight win on Sunday with a 96-95 home win over the conference leading Spurs. The Rockets downed the Jazz and Cavaliers prior to their win over San Antonio.
Houston’s defense, which is far from its biggest strength, has been the impetus behind the team’s recent surge. The Rockets have held four of their last six opponents under 100 points.
Houston, a 25-10 home team, is 2-4 in its last six meetings with Indiana. The Pacers won the one and only contest between the two squads this season, topping the Rockets 105-95 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse on January 18th.
Notable Trends: The Pacers are 0-10 straight up and 1-8-1 against the spread over the last two seasons playing as a road dog coming off a home win and one day of rest.
Indiana Pacers vs Houston Rockets NBA Odds:
Indiana Pacers +4.5 (-110), Over 196.5 (-110), +170 (Moneyline)
Houston Rockets -4.5 (-110), Under 196.5 (-110), -200 (Moneyline)
NBA Free Picks: Indiana Pacers at Houston Rockets Betting
What pro basketball bettors need to know about Indiana Pacers at Houston Rockets on Wednesday (3/27/13) - a free pick from Pregame.com's Bryan Leonard, with Vegas Runner and host Steve Fezzik.