Two teams with championship aspirations will go head-to-head when the Toronto Raptors host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. 

Entering the game, the Raptors sit second in the Eastern Conference, while the Rockets have climbed up to fifth in the ultra-competitive West. The meeting between the two teams is the second - and final - of the season, as the Rockets pulled off a two-point win over the Raptors in Houston back in January. 

The game will also serve as a showcase for two of the league's top players in James Harden and Kawhi Leonard, who should get plenty of opportunities to go at one another. 

How to watch Rockets at Raptors 

  • Date: Tuesday, March 5
  • Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Location: Scotiabank Arena -- Toronto, Ontario, Canada 
  • TV: TNT 
  • Streaming: fuboTV (try it free)
  • Live stats: GameTracker
  • Odds: Raptors -3

Odds and analysis

Check Sportsline's NBA pick sheet for all your daily odds. 

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Storylines 

Rockets: After a slow start to the season, the Rockets have been playing much better basketball lately, as they are finally fully healthy, and James Harden isn't required to single-handedly carry the team on the offensive end. Come playoff time, Houston could be a legitimate threat to the defending champion Warriors - and the rest of the league. 

Raptors: The Raptors have some things to figure out before they're ready for the start of the NBA's second season in April. They continue to integrate center Marc Gasol into the rotation following his deadline acquisition, and coach Nick Nurse has been tweaking the lineup in order to maximize his team's potential.   

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Game prediction, pick

This one is a close call, but the line slightly favors the Raptors, and that is the better bet. The Raptors are one of the league's best teams at home (28-12), while the Rockets are just average (16-16) on the road. Plus, the Raptors have one of the best potential James Harden-neutralizers in the league in Kawhi Leonard, who should be able to prevent an absolute outburst from the reigning NBA MVP.