Not too many people would have believed you if you had said the Houston Rockets would be favorites for a clash with the Los Angeles Lakers in January, and even less would have believed anybody stating the Texas-based side would be second in the West at this stage.
However, that is the exact state of play right now, with the Rockets shocking everyone to go 22-12 in their opening 34 games despite boasting one of the youngest starting fives in the NBA.
Things couldn't be going much better for Ime Udoka in Houston and he will be keen to keep the good vibes flowing at the Toyota Center when the Los Angeles Lakers come to town on Sunday evening.
While the Rockets are deserved favorites for this clash, given their excellent start to the season, there is reason to believe their money line price is too short to consider and also that the spread may be a touch steep for them to cover.
Houston deserves plenty of credit for their start but they are not exactly clear in second, with plenty of Western Conference sides breathing down their necks. There are four teams with only two wins fewer than the Rockets and the Lakers are one of those.
Like Udoka, JJ Reddick has enjoyed a strong start against the odds. The former player is in his first coaching role with the Lakers and has certainly exceeded expectations, with Reddick leading Los Angeles to a 20-14 record thus far.
They are also more in-form than their hosts, winning seven of their last 10 games compared to the Rockets' six and, with that in mind, it could pay to back the Lakers to cover in Houston.
Not only has a +4.5 line been covered by the Lakers in eight of their last 10 games, but it has also been covered in four of their last five and in three straight road matches.
The Rockets certainly have the firepower to romp to victory but the reality is that they don't tend to very often. Despite being 6-4 in their last 10 outings, they have covered a -4.5 line in just two of those four victories.
Back the more experienced Lakers to keep things close against a youthful Houston.
They say age is just a number, and nobody is proving that idiom to be more accurate than LeBron James, who remains one of the NBA's best players despite turning 40 last week.
The legendary figure was a doubt for this trip to Houston due to a foot injury but he has since been upgraded to probable, making him a huge standout in the points market.
James' line has been set at 22.5, which seems generous given he is averaging 24.1 per game and has been in frightening form. His average points in the last 10 games is a mammoth 27.1, while he has notched at least 23 in six straight games.
While the Lakers have struggled on the road a touch, going 8-9 on their travels this term, James seems to relish the challenge of an away day, averaging 23.8 points in such fixtures this season.
The evergreen Laker managed 23 points in his last appearance against the Rockets and is fancied to at least match that total this time around.
The Houston Rockets picked second in the 2021 NBA draft and the man they selected, Jalen Green, was expected to become the team's franchise player for years to come.
However, while Green has impressed in flashes, it is actually the man who was drafted 16th - the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him before trading him to Houston - in the same year, Alperen Sengun, who has blossomed into the team's leader.
Sengun has averaged 18.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game while also being far more efficient, a much stronger defender and contributing more in terms of win share and +/- than Green.
However, he may struggle to be as dominant on Sunday as he usually is, with Anthony Davis, one of the best big men of his generation, set to keep very close tabs on the Turkish star.
Sengun has seen his rebound numbers fall in the past two games, managing just six against the Mavericks and only one more against the Celtics, and a line of 9.5 may be hard to achieve for the Rockets man.
Davis is an expert glass-cleaner, grabbing 10 or more boards in 10 of his last 11 appearances and, coming off the back of a 19-rebound game against the Atlanta Hawks, he is fancied to dominate the paint again, making Sengun's under line an appealing one at a big price.
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Los Angeles Lakers | +150 ML |
Houston Rockets | -180 ML |
Spread | HOU -4.5 |
Total Points | Over 218.0 |
Anthony Davis | O/U 24.5 |
LeBron James | O/U 22.5 |
Alperen Sengun | O/U 20.5 |
Jalen Green | O/U 19.5 |
Austin Reaves | O/U18.5 |
Fred VanVleet | O/U 15.5 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.