Sunday night (7 PM EST) matchup between New Orleans Pelicans and the Houston Rockets will feature two underwhelming teams that are suddenly gaining some momentum as of late.
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The Rockets have racked up five wins in a row, the first two at the expense of a couple of Eastern Conference playoff contenders.
Will they keep up their fine play and extend the streak to six wins? BetUS.com believes the Rockets will need a bit more against the Pelicans as they open as +2.5-point home underdogs. The bookmaker adjusted the total at 220.5 points, giving bettors an opportunity to double or triple their stakes by betting OVER.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Betting Lines
ATS: Pelicans -2.5
Moneyline: Pelicans -145, Rockets +125
O/U: 220.5
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Team News
Zion Williamson’s return to basketball may take a little following another setback in his rehab. The Pelicans star forward complained of soreness in the surgically-repaired foot, prompting coaching staff to push back his season debut. The All-Star participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage with the team the past week after receiving the go-ahead from the team physician. Unfortunately, a lingering soreness in his foot forced Williamson to miss Thursday’s practice to give it a rest.
Rockets head coach Stephen Silas appears inclined to see more what he’ll get from Christian Wood-Alperen Segun pairing over the next few games, Ben DeBose of RocketsWire writes. Silas experimented with a different lineup in Friday’s win vs. the Magic, which saw Wood and Segun sharing the court for an extended period. After seeing some synergy between the two players, the young coach has confirmed that fans will be seeing more of the twin-tower combo in the future.
“They’re both very skilled, and they’re both very good with the basketball. And to have two guys out there that can rebound when we’re struggling on the boards, yeah,” Silas told reporters.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Houston Rockets Injury Report
Pelicans: Josh Hart – Questionable (Knee), Zion Williamson – OUT (Foot), Marcos Louzada Silva – OUT (Suspension), and Daulton Hommes – Fibula (OUT).
Rockets: John Wall – OUT (Personal), Kevin Porter Jr. – OUT (Thigh), and Jaylen Green – OUT (Leg).
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Preview
The Pelicans claimed their fourth win in six games after dispatching the Mavs. 107-91, in the second duel in three days. Brandon Ingram flirted with a triple-double, posting 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists in 38 minutes. Jonas Valanciunas also chalked up 14 points and 11 boards, while Herbert Jones and Devonte Graham finished with 13 each. In the third quarter, New Orleans outscored the Mavs 35-20 to get some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter. From there, the Pelicans had seized control of the game on their way to a victory.
The Rockets, meanwhile, grabbed their fifth straight win by nipping the Orlando Magic, 118-116. Eric Gordon poured in 24 points, including the game-winning jumper, to get the win in a tightly contested matchup. Christian Wood collected another monster double-double with 20 points and 14 boards to dominate the Magic in the interior.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Prediction
Fearless Forecast: The Rockets edges the Pelicans in a high-scoring affair, extending their winning streak to six.
While the Pelicans hold the better record against teams above .500 (6-11) over the Rockets’ 2-11 slate, one cannot deny the terrific play Houston has demonstrated during the run. Wood will once again play an important factor in this game. His performance will determine the Rockets’ chances of extending the streak. Another double-double game from him will put the Rockets in good shape vs. the Pelicans, who are 4-10 on the road.
- In New Orleans’ last 5 games when playing on the road against Houston, the total has gone OVER 4 times.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston’s last 5 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston’s last 5 games against New Orleans.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Betting Pick
Pick: Pelicans score upset and cover. OVER 220.5 points
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