Rockets vs Lakers Free Pick, NBA Free Picks, NBA Predictions 4/11/25
- J.A. Cavalier
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
HOUSTON @ LA LAKERS (LAL -9.5, 225.5)
NBA ODDS, NBA PREDICTIONS, NBA PREVIEWS
ROCKETS @ LAKERS 4/11/25
With two games left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers still have a lot to play for even though they have secured a postseason spot. When the Lakers hosts the Houston Rockets, who are currently in second place in the Western Conference, they will have a chance to get closer to securing the No. 3 seed. The Lakers (49-31) defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112-97 on the road on Wednesday, formally punching their ticket to the postseason.
Five of the teams vying for Los Angeles have between 46 and 48 wins going into Thursday's games, placing them in a closely clustered group in the Western Conference. With 48-32 records, the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers are the teams that are closest. Going into the final games, the Lakers had won six of their last nine games. On Sunday, Los Angeles plays the Portland Trail Blazers to wrap up the regular season.
After previously securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Houston (52-28) has nothing left to lose. In Wednesday's 134-117 loss to the host Los Angeles Clippers, the Rockets managed to hold out almost all of their important players.
Due to injuries, Fred VanVleet (right ankle soreness), Jabari Smith Jr. (left groin soreness), and Alperen Sengun (back soreness) were unable to participate. Sengun is now cited as being uncertain for "personal reasons" and all three are listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks were rested on Wednesday. Steven Adams, a veteran, did not participate either.
As he looks to play in all 82 regular-season games for the second consecutive season, Jalen Green, who played 15 minutes in the game, will see some action on Friday. Having played them all in three straight seasons (2007-08, 2008-09, and 2009-10), he would be the first Houston player to accomplish this feat since Luis Scola.
Against the Clippers, rookie Reed Sheppard entered the starting lineup and scored 20 points, including a career-high six three-pointers. Sheppard, 20, was grateful that his teammates were thrilled about his accomplishment. The only problem was the defense. In three of the four quarters, Houston allowed the Clippers to score 34 points or more, and they made 19 of 37 3-pointers.
Earlier in the season, the Lakers and Rockets split two games. Before Luka Doncic joined Los Angeles, Houston won 119-115 at home on January 5th, led by Green's 33 points. Doncic was one of three Lakers to score 20 points in the rematch on March 31, which saw Los Angeles win 104-98. Gabe Vincent and Dorian Finney-Smith each finished the game with six treys and 20 points. In his first trip to Dallas since the shocking trade in February, Doncic scored 45 points, which is a season-high.
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COACH RICK FREE PICK:
GAME TOTAL OVER 225.5
Houston has already clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. A number of starters sat the last game and are likely to do the same tonight. LA can get closer to clinching the No. 3 seed in the West with a victory tonight. Both teams have been trending Over. The Rockets have seen the total go Over in 10 of their last 14 games. Wednesday’s game against the Clippers went Over after the Rockets, one of the better defenses in the NBA, gave up 134 points. That’s what happens when you’re best defenders sit the bench. The Over has cashed in 12 of the last 18 games for the Lakers. They’ve won 3 of their last 4 games and scored at least 120 points in 3 of them.
