New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Prediction
| Game Time | 8:00 pm EST |
| New Orleans Pelicans Line | +10 |
| Houston Rockets Line | -10 |
| Total | 219 |
| TV: | NBA TV |
Below is a detailed analysis for New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets game.
PREGAME WARM-UP:
Two teams sitting on opposite sides of the Western Conference table are clashing tonight, when the Houston Rockets are hosting the New Orleans Pelicans. The Rockets are coming fresh off an elimination in the NBA Cup semifinals, and saw a two-game winning streak end. Houston also has not been covering spreads lately, as they have covered only once in their last five games. On the other hand, the Pelicans have been terrible this season, as they have been ravaged by injuries. They have won just once in their last fourteen games, and have fallen on the bottom of the West.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Prediction
Houston Rockets Injury Report: Dillon Brooks is day-to-day.
New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report: Javonte Green, Karlo Matkovic, Daniel Theis, Jordan Hawkins, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jose Alvarado are out
Houston Rockets Form and Trends
The Rockets have a 17-9 record this season and are tied with the Mavericks on the third place of the West. Houston is 16-10 against the spread and 12-14 in over/under. The Rockets have a 10-3 home record, and are 9-4 against the spread, with a +10.4-point differential. The Rockets are 2-3 in their last 5 games, but 1-4 against the spread in their last 5. Under is 3-1 in their last 4 games.
The Rockets are coming off a 96-111 loss by Oklahoma City, as they shot with just 36% from the field and 24% from beyond the arc. Houston had six players in double digit scoring, led by Amen Thompson with 19 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.
Jalen Green leads the Rockets in scoring with an average of 19 points and 4.6 rebounds. Alperen Sengun adds 18.6 points, 5.2 assists and a team-high 10.6 rebounds.
New Orleans Pelicans Recent Form and Trends
The Pelicans have a 5-22 record this season and are sitting on the last place of the West. New Orleans is 10-17 against the spread and 12-14-1 in over/under. The Pelicans have a 1-13 road record, and are 3-11 against the spread, with a -17.6-point differential. Pels are 1-13 in their last 14 games. Over is 4-2 in their last 6 games.
The Pelicans are coming off a 104-119 loss in Indiana, as they shot with just 39% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc. Five New Orleans players had 15+ points, led by Brandon Boston Jr with 20 off the bench.
Zion Williamson leads the Pels in scoring with 22.7 points, adding 8 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Brandon Ingram adds 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists but both are out with injuries.
Statistical Breakdown
Offensively, the Rockets average 112.1 point per game, ranking 16th in the league. Houston does not shoot the ball very well, with just 43.7% from the field (29th) and 32.2% from beyond the arc (28th). Defensively, they are third-best in the league, allowing 106.1 points per game.
Offensively, the Pels are dead last in the league, averaging 105.1 points per game. They shoot 43.7% from the field (27th) and 32.9% from beyond the arc (26th). Defensively, the Pels allow 116.6 points per game, which is just 24th in the league.
The Pelicans are 7-3 in their last 10 meetings against the Rockets, and are 7-2-1 against the spread. the Pelicans are 2-0-1 against the spread in their last 3 meetings in Houston. Under is 7-1 in their last 8 meetings.
Prediction
In this New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Prediction, the Rockets are coming as -10 home favorites. The Rockets are rightfully favored as they are by far the better team, but double-digit spreads can be tricky, as the winning team might pull out their starters late in the game if they have a big lead. This is a matchup between the worst offense in the league against the third-best defense, and both teams are struggling to shoot the ball, as both teams rank on the bottom-5 of the league both in field goal and in 3-point percentage. Most of their recent meetings have also been low scoring ones, so I expect points to be at a premium in this game. Take the under 219 points. Nick’s Pick: Under 219
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