NBA Best Bets: Rockets Prepared for Liftoff vs. Raptors

The Raptors and Rockets clash in a battle of two teams with championship aspirations. Who has the edge on Thursday night?

We have a short four-game slate in the NBA tonight with one marquee matchup. Philadelphia and Washington meet in D.C, and Philly is much better at home than it is on the road, but Washington is in the middle of a three-game losing streak, The 76ers are laying eight—if anything I would go with Philadelphia but it's a no bet for me. The Knicks host the Nuggets at the world's most famous arena. The Nuggets should beat the Knicks down even on the second night of a back-to-back, but Denver is not that good against the spread.

Houston Rockets at Toronto Raptors: Rockets +1.5

Tonight in Canada, a pair of teams with championship aspirations square off in the night's only nationally televised game. This will be a very hotly contested game that should come down to the final possession. The Raptors are very good at home, but I would dare say that Houston should've been the favorite in this game. Both teams are coming off a straight-up and ATS losses. I think the Rockets are a better team than the Raptors and I will take the points with them in this early-season showdown.

Philadelphia 76ers at Washington Wizards: Over 235.5 Points

Over 235.5 may seem like a big number to cover, but if any teams can do it, these are the two. Washington gives up over 120 points per game at home. In the Wizards' last 10 games, they have gone over the total seven times, with the lowest of those numbers being 226, so they are constantly going over these big totals. Philadelphia is an 8-point favorite in this game, so the 76ers should be scoring plenty of points. This total opened up at 234.5 and has climbed as high as 236 at some shops. If you remember yesterday's article, I was on the Nets and Hawks over even though the line was moving up. That upward line movement is a sign that we are on the right side. 

Season Record: 31-33