Pelicans vs. Rockets: Odds, Betting, Prediction

New Orleans sense for survival must finally kick in and defeat Houston in a critical Western Conference contest.

HOUSTON, Tx - New Orleans has a record of 33-37 and rests in 12th place in the Western Conference. On Friday night, the Houston Rockets (18-52, 14th Western) last-second three-point dagger from rookie Jabari Smith Jr. to defeat the Pelicans 114-112. Today the visitors must win against Houston or their postseason hopes will be in jeopardy.  

Willie Green and his team had a 10-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter to collapse before eventually losing to the Rockets.

Vengeance isn't quite the spin for the Pelicans in Sunday's clash at the Toyota Center. Tip-off will be at 6:00 PM CT.  

New Orleans is urgent for a victory, with star players Zion Williamson and Jose Alvarado watching from the sidelines in street clothes. 

Starters Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy must find a way to stop the Rockets' three-game home winning streak.

New Orleans Pelicans (33-37) at Houston Rockets (18-52)

• Game: Pelicans Regular Season Game No. 71;  Road Game No. 36
• Venue: Toyota Center in Houston, TX
• Date/Time: March 19, 2023 at 6:00 PM CT

Key Players to Watch

• Pelicans - Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Trey Murphy
• Rockets - Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun

Betting

• Spread: 7.5 pts (Pelicans +130, 65% probability), (Rockets -154)
• Total: 227.5 pts
• Money Line:  Pelicans (-213), Rockets (+175)
• Over/Under: Pelicans Over 116.5 (-105), Under 116.5 (-125); Rockets Over  110.5 (-133), Under 110.5 (+105)

Last Game Facts

1. On Friday, the Rockets outscored the Pelicans 60-46 points in the paint.  New Orleans' big man Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance Jr., and Herb Jones must protect the area.
2. Houston hauled in 52 rebounds, including 15 offensive boards, while New Orleans only grabbed 35 rebounds, with just eight boards coming on the offensive end. This led to the Rockets outscoring the Pelicans 18-8 in second chance points.
3. Brandon Ingram had a game-high 31 points, shooting 9-of-20 (.450) from the floor, 3-of-5 (.600) from three-point range and 10-of-11 (.909) from the free throw line. He has scored 30-plus points in six of his past 14 games played after doing so once his first 19 games played this season.
4. Jalen Green scored a team-high 25 points, shooting 10-of-20 (.500) from the floor and 4-of-6 (.667) from the free throw stripe. He added six assists, seven rebounds and one steal.

Houston still trails the season series 1-2, tonight will be the final meeting between the teams.

Prediction

New Orleans wins by 4 points.