The Houston Rockets (17-9) and Los Angeles Clippers (7-21) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 10:30 p.m. EST from Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif. The game will be broadcast live on NBC/Peacock.
The Rockets are 6.5-point favorites over the Clippers on the spread (Rockets -6.5), with the over/under set at 220.5 total points. Houston is a 72-cent favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Los Angeles is priced at 29 cents to pull off the upset on Fanatics Markets.
Let's get into my Rockets vs. Clippers predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, December 23.
My Rockets vs Clippers Prediction
- Rockets vs Clippers Pick: Rockets -6.5
My Clippers vs Rockets pick is for Houston to cover the spread, with the best price currently available at Fanatics. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Rockets vs Clippers Odds
Rockets vs Clippers NBA Preview
I like the Rockets at -6.5 against the Clippers in this spot. In the most-recent meeting between these teams, the Rockets built a huge lead twice, only for the Clippers to crawl back and get a very fortunate cover. This time, the matchup shifts even more in Houston’s favor.
Ivica Zubac is out for the Clippers and is being replaced by Brook Lopez. That creates a nightmare matchup for Los Angeles. The Rockets are one of the most athletic teams in the NBA, and the Clippers consistently struggle against speed and athleticism.
This is also a strong situational spot for the Rockets. They are settled in Los Angeles, with two games in three days, including a Christmas Day matchup against the Lakers. Houston hasn't been playing its best basketball recently, but the context matters.
The Rockets lost to the Pelicans during New Orleans’ five-game winning streak, notched a win against the Nuggets, and also dropped an overtime game to the Kings on a Dennis Schröder 3. Overall, they have lost two of their past three games, which sets up a strong bounce-back opportunity here.
At the same time, Houston is getting Tari Eason back, which further strengthens an already favorable matchup.
This feels like a clear “get-up” spot for the Rockets, especially against a Clippers team that is undermanned and poorly equipped to deal with Houston’s athleticism.
The Rockets are also one of the best first-quarter teams in the NBA, making an early bet appealing as well. Both the first-quarter and full-game angles stand out.
Rockets vs Clippers Prediction
Pick: Rockets -6.5
Clippers vs Rockets Betting Trends
