Basketball handicapping is not a weekly venture. It's not something you start Sunday night, then map out point spreads and potential situations during the week, picking the majority of games you want to wager on a week in advance. It's a daily ritual, because things happen on a daily, even hourly, basis that can affect potential wagering spots.

Take a look at the Houston Rockets. On paper in preseason, this was a team that looked pretty good, a young club on the rise. However, star Tracy McGrady didn't see much time during the exhibition season because of injuries. And it's only gotten worse now that the real games have begun. McGrady has missed several games with a back problem, and guard Rafar Alston is ailing. Throw in the fact that guard Bob Sura just went under the knife and is out several months, and the Rockets are a shell of what many expected them to be, with a lack of depth and offensive options. Their problems are most evident on the road where Houston started 1-4 SU/ATS averaging just 83 points per game. The Rockets still play tough defense for coach Jeff Van Gundy and are 4-1