The Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics, who own two of the NBA's top three records, square off in a marquee Thursday showdown tipping off at 8 p.m. ET.

The Rockets are a slight one-point road favorite. The over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 216.5.

The money line is Houston -115, meaning you would need to bet $115 on the Rockets to win $100. 

Each team comes into the game with injury issues, so before you lock in your pick, you need to see what SportsLine's advanced computer model is picking.

The model is on a red-hot 46-22 run picking NBA games against the spread. Anyone who has followed its advice is way, way up.

Now, the model has simulated Rockets-Celtics 10,000 times and locked in against-the-spread, over/under and money-line picks.

We can tell you the model is expecting a shootout between the NBA's highest-scoring team (Houston) and the second-best defensive team (Boston). The over is hitting in 71 percent of simulations! It also has very strong picks against the spread and straight up. 

Boston has been the class of the East, but its place at the top is looking more fragile.

The Celtics (28-10) got off to a torrid 22-5 start. But the team was 5-5 over its previous 10 games before knocking off the Hornets 102-91 on Wednesday. Its lead in the East is down to 2.5 games over the Raptors and Cavaliers.

Boston is enduring a rough December schedule, with eight games in 12 days, including three back-to-backs. It pays off in January, when a trip to London on Jan. 11 to play the 76ers is sandwiched by five days off.

They could use the rest now: Marcus Morris, Jaylen Brown and Semi Ojeleye all missed Wednesday's win.

Al Horford, who leads the team in rebounding (7.8), assists (5.3), field goal percentage (52.3) and blocked shots (36), posted 20 points and 11 rebounds Wednesday, his eighth double-double.

The Celtics have yet to lose when Horford finishes with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds.

While Boston has the NBA's second-ranked defense (98.2 points per game), Houston's offense is No. 1, averaging 115.1 points.

The Rockets have lost three straight and will be short-handed Thursday with starting point guard Chris Paul (leg) and center Clint Capela (orbital bone) getting over injuries. 

The Rockets are 15-1 when Paul plays, 10-6 when he doesn't.

Of course, they still have James Harden, who leads in the NBA in scoring (32.4 points) and ranks third in assists (9.2). 

Will the Celtics get back on track and represent the East, or will the Rockets' explosiveness overwhelm Boston? The SportsLine Projection Model's picks for Thursday's nationally televised matchup are in.

What side of Rockets-Celtics do you need to be all over? Visit SportsLine now to see the strong point-spread pick for Rockets-Celtics, all from the model that is on a 46-22 NBA streak, and find out!