Bodog Beat

The Portland Trail Blazers open against a Yao Ming-less Rockets tonight. (AP Images)

The Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers will open the new season tonight at the Rose Garden with Houston ready for the challenge of playing without its best player.

That kind of challenge has the Rockets pegged as 9.5-point underdogs according to NBA basketball betting odds.

The Rockets will have to cope without Yao Ming after the center underwent foot surgery in May. Oft-injured Tracy McGrady had microfracture surgery on his left knee last February and is sidelined until midseason.

Brandon Roy averaged 26.5 points in the series against Houston last season after scoring 22.6 points per game in 2008-09 to lead Portland to its highest win total since the 1999-2000 club won 59 games and reached the West finals.

LaMarcus Aldridge averaged 19.5 points in the playoffs.

Houston has won six of its last seven regular-season meetings with Portland in addition to its postseason success last season.

Get your NBA Odds in the Bodog Sportsbook!