Pelicans, Rockets Wrap Up Home-And-Home Series
The New Orleans Pelicans have lost 9 of their last 12 games with their most recent defeat coming at the hands of the Houston Rockets on Friday. The Rockets are on a bit of a roll.
If you’ve been following the NBA news, you might have noticed that this team has just 18 wins on the year. However, they’ve won three straight against tough opponents including the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Are the Rockets a good bet to keep it going?
Pelicans Running Out Of Steam
The Pelicans had high hopes earlier in the year but they’re running on fumes now. This is a team that was 23-12. Those who bet online have seen them going 10-25 since.
Of course, missing Zion Williamson is a huge factor here. Jonas Valanciunas continues to play well, dropping 22 points and 17 rebounds against the Rockets on Friday.
Something that New Orleans certainly doesn’t want to do is start off as poorly as they did. They had a 26-12 lead in the first quarter, then got decimated for the next few minutes.
They were outscored 22-0 at one point in this stretch, going nearly 6 1/2f minutes without scoring a point. That can’t happen again if they want to beat the Rockets and keep this competitive in the sportsbook.
Young Rockets Roster Has Talent
The Rockets have 18 wins, so capturing three straight and five of eight is a good sign. There are a ton of young players on this roster and they might have the makings of something.
Jalen Green dropped 25 points against the Pelicans a few nights ago to add to his 21.7 points per game average. Kevin Porter Jr. added another 20 points to add to his own average of 18.6 points a night.
These two guards help out their offense get going, though it’s still far from a consistent and reliable offensive unit.
In the frontcourt, you have both Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith. Sengun is averaging 14.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game while the rookie Smith is putting up 12.5 points and 7.1 rebounds.
Does this team finally have a foundation? In recent days, they’ve been money on the NBA betting lines. Why go against it?.
Pelicans vs Rockets Game Injuries
Pelicans vs Rockets Head-to-Head
These teams have met three times this season, with the Pelicans winning the first two and losing the last one.
Pelicans vs Rockets Game Information
- Game: Pelicans (33-37) vs Rockets (18-52)
- Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
- Day/Time: Sunday, 7:10 p.m. ET
- Pelicans vs Rockets Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Pelicans vs Rockets Betting Lines
Pelicans vs Rockets Picks & Prediction
This is going to be a close matchup considering how well Houston has played as of late. Why not stick with the trends for your NBA bets?
While it does seem like New Orleans should be the better team, right now they’re not. And Houston has a little bit of momentum going. Also, consider that New Orleans is just 11-24 on the road this season (compared to 22-13 at home).
Is this a team you really want to trust with your NBA picks? Take a shot with the Rockets to win and cover again.
New Orleans is listed at –210 in our Vegas lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Pelicans, there’s a chance to win $48. Houston is +175 with a chance to win $175 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Rockets a 36.36% chance to win, with the Pelicans at 67.74%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
Pelicans vs Rockets Trends
Pelicans vs Rockets Edge
Pelicans vs Rockets Results
Pelicans vs Rockets Game Summary
Pelicans vs Rockets Previous Game (Mar 17, 2023)
The New Orleans Pelicans battle the Houston Rockets, with both teams sitting at the Western Conference’s bottom end. The Pelicans are looking to make up ground in the race, while the Rockets are looking to play spoiler and finish a disastrous season on a positive.
