Boston at Houston

Houston has now won 22 consecutive games and will face the NBA's best team, at least record-wise, tonight at home. It is about as close to a playoff game atmosphere as you'll ever find in an NBA regular season game. When you consider defense, it is reflective most noticeably in the play of Houston, Boston, San Antonio and Detroit. Houston has had two at home with San Antonio, and no one has gotten to even 90 points. Boston has had three games with Detroit and the highest points prodcued was 92, with no game reaching 180 total points scored. Houston also played San Antonio on the road, and the total points scored was 174. Now we have the ultimate two defenses, squaring off in nothing short of a playoff game. As a result, this game will be hard pressed to touch 180, and is likely to be played in the mid-80s to the winner. We like this to go UNDER as is, but the special nature of this one adds to the value, as we have a regular season line in a game with playoff intensity.