Teams in fifth place in the NBA playoff picture meet on Sunday when the Houston Rockets visit the Boston Celtics. The Rockets (37-25), who are just six games behind first-place Golden State in the West, have won four in a row and seven of 10. The Celtics (38-25) snapped a four-game losing streak with a 107-96 win over Washington on Friday. Tip-off from TD Garden is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Boston is a 2.5-point favorite in the latest Rockets vs. Celtics odds, while the over-under for total points scored is 226.5. Before making any Rockets vs. Celtics picks of your own, see the NBA predictions from SportsLine's proven model. 

This model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, is crushing its NBA picks. It entered Week 20 of the 2018-19 NBA season with a sterling 222-169 record on all top-rated picks, returning more than $4,000 to anybody following them. And it has been particularly red-hot on its A-rated NBA picks against the spread, entering Week 20 on a blistering 46-32 run. Anybody who has followed it is way up.

Now the model has dialed in on Rockets vs. Celtics. We can tell you it is leaning under, but it's also generated an against the spread pick that cashes in over 50 percent of simulations. That one is available exclusively at SportsLine.

The model knows the Celtics are 24-9 at home and lead the all-time series over the Rockets 90-52. Boston is among the league's best in a number of categories, including free-throw percentage (.812), point differential (plus-5.4), scoring defense (106.8 points against) and 3-point field goal percentage (.366).

Boston is ninth in points per possession (1.12) and 14th in scoring (112.2). Guard Kyrie Irving (23.6 ppg) leads the Celtics' offense. He had 37 at Chicago a week ago and 31 versus Portland on Wednesday. Forward Jayson Tatum (16.3 ppg) has equaled or surpassed his average in six of 10, including 25 at Cleveland.

But just because Boston has historically dominated this series doesn't guarantee it will cover the Rockets vs. Celtics spread on Sunday. 

That's because Houston has been red hot, winning four in a row and seven of the past 10 games. It has won its last two road games and five of seven away. The Rockets are also among the NBA's best in several statistical categories, including second in points per possession (1.15) and eighth in free throw percentage (.791). Houston is 11th in both scoring (113.4) and in point differential (plus-2.2).

The Rockets, who won the first meeting 127-113 in Houston, have won eight of the past 11 in the series. Guard James Harden (36.6 ppg), who had his streak of 32 games with at least 30 points snapped earlier in the week, rebounded with 58 points against Miami last Thursday. Harden has scored at least 30 points in 44 of the 58 games he's played this season. He had 45 against the Celtics in the first meeting.

Who wins Celtics vs. Rockets? And which side of the spread can you bank on in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Celtics vs. Rockets spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up more than $4,000 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.