Rockets at Lakers in Game 5 – Can they do it Again?

The Los Angeles Lakers (71-20 SU, 47-44 ATS, 46-44-1 O/U) will look to bounce back from their resounding loss in Game 4 to take a 3-2 lead over the Houston Rockets (59-33 SU, 45-46-1 ATS, 44-48 O/U) when they square off at the Staples Center in the fifth game of their second-round playoff series tonight at 10:30 PM ET.

The Rockets jumped all over the Lakers in their first postseason game without all-star center Yao Ming to hand L.A. a surprising 99-87 loss as an 8-point home underdog in Game 4 on Sunday.

Lightning-fast second-year point guard Aaron Brooks scored a game-high 34 points for Houston and defensive ace Shane Battier added 23 points as the final score played Under the 197.5-point O/U total in the BetOnline Sportsbook.

All-star forward Pau Gasol led the Lakers with 30 points and nine rebounds but superstar shooting guard Kobe Bryant was held in check, scoring just 15 points.

Here is a look at tonight’s key trends, followed by my in-depth analysis and NBA Free Picks.

The Rockets are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as an underdog of 11.0 or greater.

The Rockets are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as a road underdog of 11.0 or greater.

The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following an ATS loss.

The Lakers are 9-4-1 ATS in their last 14 Conference Semifinals games.

The Over is 9-3 in Rockets last 12 Tuesday games.

The Under is 15-3-1 in Lakers last 19 games following an ATS loss.

The Rockets are 2-6 ATS in the last 8 meetings.

The Rockets are 1-4 ATS in the last 5 meetings in Los Angeles.

NBA Odds

Houston Rockets +12 -110

Los Angeles Lakers -12 -110

Over 198½ -110

Under 198½ -110

Analysis: Well, BetOnline NBA online betting backers, the Los Angeles Lakers apparently have a series on their hands thanks to the fleet-footed Aaron Brooks, a player the Lakers have absolutely no answer for.

Still, I expect the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant in particular, to come out with some serious fire in their eyes.

However, the huge 12-point spread and improved play by the Rockets leads me to believe they can cover tonight’s spread despite playing on the road.

Houston has covered the spread in two of the four games in this series so far, snapping the Lakers recent ATS dominance against them when they covered the spread in five of their last six meetings.

Yes, the Rockets failed to cover a double-digit spread as 10-point road underdogs in Game 2, but I think their newfound confidence and ability to cover the spread as double digit road underdogs (7-3 ATS in L/10) says they will cover for NBA sports betting members tonight.

The Under has played out twice in this series and in four of the last six meetings overall and two of three in L.A.

The Lakers could also be without reserve forward Lamar Odom, who bruised his back in game 4, not to mention the fact that both Odom and young center Andrew Bynum have pretty much vanished for the Lakers in this series.

As Battier recently said about himself and his Rockets’ teammates, "We have a free mentality. Every shot that everyone takes is a free shot. If it goes in, great. If not, we tried. We have nothing to lose. No one expected much out of us.”

I like the loose and free Rockets to cover the spread tonight in a closer-than-expected loss against the suddenly shaky Lakers while the Under plays out for the fifth time in the last seven meetings between these ballclubs.

NBA Free Picks: Rockets +12 Points/Under 198½ Total Points