1* free play on the Portland Trail Blazers...

The Portland Trailblazers are one of the league's hottest teams, coming into tonight's game against Houston as winners of six straight, and 11 of their last 12. The Rockets have lost four of their last five, and they play their fifth straight road game in Portland tonight. My money is on the hot team to stay hot.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Previous History - The Blazers have won four of the last five meetings in this series, and they've covered the spread in all five of those contests. The Rockets scored more than 100 points in regulation in just one of those five games.

2. Home Cookin' - The Blazers boast a home record of 19-11, and they've covered the spread in seven of their last 10 home games. The Rockets have lost five of their last seven road games, one of those a 116-103 loss at Portland.

3. X-Factor - The Trail Blazers are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games versus a team with a losing straight up record.

Selection: This is a play on the Portland Trailblazers (Free)