Two of the best young teams in the NBA Summer League are facing off on Friday night with the Portland Trail Blazers taking on the Houston Rockets.
There's a lot of NBA lottery talent in this game on both sides.
Portland Trail Blazers notable Summer League players
- Scoot Henderson (No. 3 overall pick in 2023 NBA Draft)
- Shaedon Sharpe (No. 7 overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft)
- Kris Murray (No. 23 overall pick in 2023 NBA Draft)
Houston Rockets notable Summer League players
- Jabari Smith (No. 3 overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft)
- Tari Eason (No. 17 overall pick in 2022 NBA Draft)
- Amen Thompson (No. 4 overall pick in 2023 NBA Draft)
- Cam Whitmore (No. 20 overall pick in 2023 NBA Draft)
Henderson is looking like the new face of the Blazers with Damian Lillard on his way out while the Rockets are hoping to turn things around in the 2023-24 season.
This should be one of the best games to watch on Friday night, so let's dive into the odds and my best bet:
Blazers vs. Rockets odds, spread and total
Spread
- Blazers -2 (-110)
- Rockets +2 (-110)
Moneyline
- Blazers: -130
- Rockets: +110
Total
- 185.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
Blazers vs. Rockets prediction and pick
My initial lean in this game is to take the OVER, so why not ride with it?
There were a ton of high-scoring games in the Salt Lake City and California Classic earlier this week, and this could be an uptempo game with so much young talent on the floor.
There are also a handful of experienced guards (G League, NBA and college stars) on both sides outside of these players. Myles Powell and Jalen Lecque are on the Houston squad, while Portland has two more players that were on the NBA roster last season in Keon Johnson and Jabari Walker.
If Henderson, Sharpe and Thompson push the pace and showcase their athleticism in this game, we should see a ton of points.
I'm hoping for a track meet to watch these young guns showcase their talent, so let's bet on the OVER too.
Pick: OVER 185.5 (-110)
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.