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Houston Rockets vs LA Clippers Odds and Expert Picks: Rockets Positioned to Cover Against Struggling Clippers

Sascha Paruk

By Sascha Paruk in NBA Basketball

Published:


Houston Rockets guard Nate Williams drives to the basket against the LA Clippers
Apr 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Nate Williams (19) is defended by LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) and forward Derrick Jones Jr. (55) in the second half at the Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
  • The Houston Rockets are 6-1 ATS in their last seven against the LA Clippers
  • The Clippers have hit the under in five of their last six
  • See the top Clippers vs Rockets picks and player props to bet, plus the latest betting splits and closing odds

The LA Clippers (6-18, 3-11 home, ATS, O/U) visit the Houston Rockets (15-6, 7-2 home, ATS, O/U) in a Western Conference mismatch on Thursday night. The Clippers have lost two in a row and seven of eight, despite their star tandem of Kawhi Leonard and James Harden suiting up in all eight of those games. Meanwhile, the Rockets last last time out (122-109 at Dallas) but are a stellar 10-3 SU in their last 13 games.

The contest tips off at 8:00 pm ET from Toyota Center in Houston, with coverage on SCHN and FDSSC. Below, I will set out my top Rockets vs Clippers picks and predictions, the main player props, and the latest odds and betting splits.

Jump to: PICKS || PLAYER PROPS || ODDS & SPLITS

Clippers vs Rockets Player Props & Betting Lines

LA ClippersPointsReboundsAssistsMade Threes
Kawhi Leonard25.5 -121 / +1086.5 -134 / +1014.5 -163 / +1232.5 +146 / -194
James Harden18.5 -103 / -1285.5 +100 / -1338.5 -140 / +1072.5 -170 / +127
Ivica Zubac11.5 -120 / -10811.5 -111 / -1192.5 +106 / -143N/A
Nicolas Batum8.5 -110 / -1204.5 -111 / -1183.5 -182 / +1351.5 +155 / -209
Houston RocketsPointsReboundsAssistsMade Threes
Alperen Sengun21.5 -115 / -1149.5 -136 / +1025.5 +107 / -1431.5 -154 / +115
Jabari Smith Jr13.5 -106 / -1237.5 +117 / -1562.5 -101 / -1312.5 -163 / +121
Amen Thompson10.5 -118 / -1116.5 -126 / -1043.5 -153 / +1150.5 +130 / -175
Aaron Holiday9.5 -125 / -1103.5 +130 / -1754.5 -105 / -1251.5 -123 / -109

The individual player matchups in this contest offer a treasure trove of betting opportunities. All attention is on James Harden’s emotional return to Houston, creating unique narratives for his scoring and assist props.

Meanwhile, Alperen Sengun looks to continue his dominant stretch against a disciplined Clippers frontcourt, while Kawhi Leonard aims to maintain his elite level of play.

Clippers vs Rockets Expert Picks & Predictions

ATS Pick: Rockets -9.5 (-105) at BetMGM

The data presents a compelling case for backing the Houston Rockets against the spread, built on a foundation of head-to-head dominance and the Clippers’ broader struggles against quality competition. This matchup offers clear statistical edges that make laying the points with Houston the logical approach.

The Rockets are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven meetings with the Clippers. LAC is also an ugly 1-9 in the last 10 games against opponents with winning records. When you combine this with their current 1-7 slide over their last eight, the pattern becomes clear: the Clippers are vulnerable, particularly as road underdogs against superior competition.

The situational dynamics further strengthen Houston’s position. Their recent 19-point demolition of Phoenix demonstrates the type of balanced offensive attack that has troubled the Clippers all season. Meanwhile, LA enters this contest having allowed opponents to dictate pace and tempo, a concerning trend for a team already struggling with offensive consistency.

Game Total Pick: Under 222.5 (-108) at DraftKings

For the total, the under is the best value on the board given the Clippers’ recent scoring struggles. The under has connected in five of LAC’s last six games, reflecting their inability to generate consistent offensive production.

This game features two teams that rank among the league’s slower-paced units and under 222.5 is a great number to get.

Closing Odds for Clippers vs Rockets

The Clippers vs Rockets point spread is HOU -9.5 across the board with only minor fluctuations in price. FanDuel is offering the best ATS price on Houston at -106, and bet365 has the best ATS price on LAC at -110.

On the moneyline, the Clippers are a market-best +325 at bet365 while the best moneyline price on a Houston win is a short -405 at FanDuel .

DraftKings has the best number for under bettors at 222.5 (-108). FanDuel has the best number for over bettors 221.5 (-110).

Odds commentary as of 2:30 pm ET. The lines in the table will update automatically with the best-available price for each market

LAC vs HOU Public Betting Splits

MarketClippersRockets
Spread43% bets, 49% handle57% bets, 51% handle
Moneyline13% bets, 22% handle87% bets, 78% handle
TotalOv: 88% bets, 87% handleUn: 12% bets, 13% handle

The NBA public betting patterns reveal heavy support for Houston and high-scoring action, but the money distribution tells a more nuanced story.

Moneyline: Public sentiment overwhelmingly favors the Rockets, with 87% of all tickets backing Houston to win outright. The financial support remains substantial at 78% of total handle, though the Clippers are attracting 22% of the money from just 13% of bets. This disparity indicates larger average wager sizes on the underdog, suggesting some confident money believes in Los Angeles’ upset potential.

Spread: The spread market shows more measured public support, with 57% of bets backing the Rockets to cover. The money aligns closely at 51% of handle on Houston.

Total: The most significant contrarian opportunity emerges in the total market, where 88.5% of tickets and 87.9% of money backs the Over. This massive public consensus on high-scoring action creates substantial value for Under backers, particularly given the statistical trends supporting lower-scoring outcomes.

Statistical Breakdown: Rockets Excel Across Key Metrics

Team Statistical ComparisonHouston RocketsLA Clippers
Points Per Game120.9 (11th)111.6 (13th)
Offensive Rating118.5 (11th)110.7 (13th)
Defensive Rating108.9 (3rd)116.4 (13th)
Net Rating+9.6 (2nd)-5.6 (23rd)
Total Rebound %56.2% (1st)49.1% (20th)
Second Chance Points18.8 (1st)14.4 (13th)
Opponent 3P%34.0% (6th)39.1% (29th)
Assist/Turnover Ratio1.6 (T-20th)1.5 (26th)
Pace96.9 (28th)97.2 (28th)
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Sascha Paruk
Sascha Paruk

Managing Editor

Sascha has been working in the sports-betting industry since 2014, and quickly paired his strong writing skills with a burgeoning knowledge of probability and statistics. He holds an undergraduate degree in linguistics and a Juris Doctor from the University of British Columbia.

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