AAA's 10* WEST-COAST ASSASSIN - +$34,770 w/ 10* NBA Picks!
(NBA) Utah vs. Houston, 01/07/2016 3:00 PM, Score: 94 - 103
Point Spread: -9.00 | -102.00 Houston (Home)
Result: Push
This is a 10* ASSASSIN on the Houston Rockets.

While we are primarily a situationally based handicapping service, we don't prescribe to any one single methodology, but instead feel that being flexible with ones approach is the best way to secure profits over the longterm. Sometimes we keep it simple, while other times we'll take into account a bunch of different factors, like motivation, scheduling and significant injuries. Recognizing classic "spot bets" is something we always do as well, IE: the "look ahead" spot, the "let down" spot and the "trap" game. The actual contestants on the field of play rarely enter into our equation when making selections, unless it's a Top 3 player like a LeBron James or Aaron Rodgers etc. One set of criteria which we almost always use when making our decisions, are Against The Spread (ATS) statistics. Sometimes these stats can be overrated and other times they help foreshadow the outcome of a contest.

This particular play is based on a few different factors:

James Harden: The Rockets super star is finally starting to fire on all cylinders, he's averaging 28.1 PPG, which is second best in the league. Harden had 30 points in a 93-91 win at Utah on Monday.

Motivation: Houston has started to play much better of late, but there's no question it still has a long way to go and something to prove today as it looks to avoid a third straight home loss (following a seven-game win streak there). The Rockets play the next seven at home: "It's a great opportunity for us to take care of home-court advantage," Harden assessed last night. "We gotta focus on things we can control; our defensive togetherness, rebounding the basketball and limiting the turnovers."

If history is any precedence: Then Houston has to be loving its chances to continue its surge, it's won nine of the last 11 meetings with Utah and has swept all five at home by an average of almost 19 points.

Trending the other way: The Jazz's vaunted defense is starting to come unravelled, they're most recently coming off a 123-98 setback at San Antonio on Wednesday, the most points the team has allowed all year. They'd go on to allow the Spurs to shoot a massive 60.5 percent from the floor.

Injuries: Utah has been hit by a rash of injuries and will once again be without the services of Rudy Gobert, Dante Exum, Derrick Favors and Alec Burks.

ATS statistics: Note that Utah is just 11-12 ATS this season vs. good offensive teams which score 99-plus points per contest, while Houston is 20-9 ATS in its last 29 when playing with two days of rest.

The bottom line: The Rockets are getting healthier and have found their swagger, while the Jazz are reeling from injury and loss of identity. When taking into account all of the factors listed above, there's no question in our minds that a lop-sided destruction is in the cards tonight; play on HOUSTON.

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