Play on Rutgers. Analysis soon. This is a * play.

This will be the second game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets. Portland won in overtime earlier this season and is coming off a loss to Oklahoma City. Portland has lost three of their last five games They are dealing with serious injury problems as C.J. McCollum and Jusef Nurkic has been and won’t return until early March. Robert Covington has a concussion and is questionable for tonight's game. For the season, the Blazers check in with a 9-7 record. The offense is led by Damian Lillard with 28.7 points and seven assists a game.

Houston has put together a little run, going 3-1 since they traded away James Harden and is 7-9 this season. The Rockets' leading scorer, now that Harden is gone, Christian Wood has missed the past three games and is listed as questionable while Victor Oladipo should be able to give it a go tonight. Eric Gordon, John Wall, and Boogie Cousins are starting to put it together and all three should improve since Harden is gone.


Portland is missing three starters and the loss of that firepower puts them at a disadvantage against Houston. The Rockets are the better shooting and rebounding team. Houston has been strong on the defensive end and has not allowed more than 109 points in each of their last four games. I am laying the small number with Houston.

Play on Houston.