Lower Expectations for Rockets Sport Books. Sports books are not giving the Houston Rockets as much respect this season as the team will start without center Yao Ming and star Tracy McGrady. The odds at the Internet sportsbook on the Rockets are going to be interesting to watch as the 2009-2010 season begins.
Sports books have the Rockets as longshots in a power-packed Western Conference. That could give them some value at the Internet sportsbook though. Trevor Ariza could have a very big year for Houston and make a mark against the sports books odds. McGrady is expected to be out for quite time while Yao is out for the sports books season. The Rockets have a good coach though in Rick Adelman and they should be getting points at sports books in a lot of their games which makes them worth a look in online betting at sports books. “The people we’re missing are huge pieces,” Adelman said. “It’s one thing when you have Yao on the floor and Tracy, and you have a role that you do. Now, suddenly, we’re going to see who’s going to step up, see who’s going to make the leap, and we need that. We have to have that. It’s going to be interesting to watch the team progress.”
The Rockets took the Lakers to seven games last sports books year before losing. Most people who wager at sports books don’t see the Rockets even making the playoffs this season. Houston will need players like Ariza and Aaron Brooks to pick up the slack and make an Internet sportsbook impact. “Aaron has an opportunity,” Adelman said. “In the playoffs, he had big games and you want to see where his growth continues. It can’t be one game here, one game there. It’s got to be consistent, over the course of the season, every game.” Houston will also be counting on Luis Scola and Shane Battier to make an impact in sports books odds.
Adelman likes the team though and the Rockets could be a team that impacts sports books numbers. “We’re going to have work harder than everybody else, we’re going to have to be very consistent in how we’re playing and play well as a team,” Adelman said. “If we do that, we’ll have a chance to succeed.”
Houston was just about a .500 team versus the sports betting pointspread at sports books last season. They could do a lot better against the Internet sportsbook number this year even though they may not win as many games straight up.