New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets – Preview & Prediction: In the NBA, New Orleans Pelicans will host Houston Rockets.
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans really do not have a single reason to be satisfied with this season. Very early on, they were completely out of any chance to finish among the top ten teams in the Western Conference and secure a potential play-in spot, and considering they don’t even have a pick in the upcoming draft, it’s clear that there was no need for them to turn to tanking. Therefore, at this moment, they occupy the 11th spot in the Western Conference with a record of 25 wins and 50 losses, and they are even 12 losses behind the tenth-placed Golden State Warriors.
The Pelicans are not entering this matchup against the Houston Rockets in good form, as they are coming off a four-game losing streak. They consecutively lost at home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then on the road against the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors. The last of these losses came in Canada, where they didn’t really have any realistic chance to surprise the Raptors. In the first half, the Pelicans played quite poorly, trailing 59-44 at halftime, and even then it was possible to sense which team would emerge as the winner of this matchup. Although the Pelicans tried to catch up and get back into the game, the Raptors had an answer to every attempt, so in the end they even won rather routinely. The most efficient player for the Pelicans was Zion Williamson with 22 points, followed by Saddiq Bey with 19 points. Other players who scored in double digits were Derrick Queen with 13, Jordan Poole with 12, and Jeremiah Fears with 10 points. Interestingly, over the course of the season, the Pelicans’ top scorer is Trey Murphy, who is averaging 21.7 points per game. Murphy has shown truly significant progress this season. The team’s second-leading scorer is Zion Williamson, who puts up 21.4 points per game. It should be noted that Williamson has finally not had any serious injury problems this season. From a team perspective, the Pelicans have the seventh-worst defensive rating in the league, allowing 118.6 points per 100 possessions. Their offense is not much better, ranking as the tenth-best team in offensive rating with 114.7 points per 100 possessions.
On the other side are the Houston Rockets, who are generally having a solid season, but the impression is still that a little more was expected from them. At this moment, the Rockets are in sixth place in the Western Conference with a record of 44 wins and 29 losses. However, it should be pointed out that the fourth-placed Denver Nuggets have only one loss less than them. It is clear that the team, led from the bench by Ime Udoka, will aim to secure a spot among the top four teams in the Western Conference by the end of the season and thus achieve home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Houston Rockets managed to secure a win in their last game on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies, returning to the winning track after two losses to the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. Both of those defeats were very painful, considering that the Chicago Bulls are not fighting for anything at all, while the Timberwolves did not have their best player, Anthony Edwards, available for that game. Still, the Rockets managed to rise, play a quality and stable game against the Grizzlies, avoid another slip-up, and ultimately celebrate a 119-109 victory. Kevin Durant had a very strong game in the Rockets’ win, recording 25 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds. Jabari Smith also stood out, contributing 21 points and an impressive 16 rebounds. Significant contributions were also made by Amen Thompson with 18 points, Tari Eason with 16 points, Reed Sheppard with 15 points, and Alperen Sengun with 14 points. Kevin Durant is indeed having another excellent season, averaging 26 points per game. The team’s second-leading scorer is Alperen Sengun, averaging 20.4 points, but the impression is that more significant progress was expected from the Turkish national team player this season. Where the Rockets are extremely strong this season is on the offensive glass. They are averaging 19.1 offensive rebounds per game, the most in the league. They often have problems with turnovers, averaging 15.8 per game, which is the fourth-worst average in the NBA.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets H2H
These two teams have faced each other three times this season, with the Houston Rockets coming out on top in two of those matchups. The Rockets also won the most recent head-to-head clash in mid-March, narrowly defeating the Pelicans at home 107-105. Overall, Houston has had significantly more success recently, winning six of the last seven encounters between the two teams.
Injuries and Suspensions
Bryce McGowens will not play for the New Orleans Pelicans, while Dejounte Murray, Josh Oduro, Hunter Dickinson, and Trey Murphy are all listed as questionable. On the other hand, Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams will not play for the Houston Rockets.
Where to Watch New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets?
New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Best Betting Tip and Prediction
The New Orleans Pelicans have suffered four consecutive losses, delivering a couple of very poor performances, so it is clear they are not entering this matchup in particularly good spirits. On the other hand, every game for the Houston Rockets until the end of the season carries huge importance. It should be expected that they come out with maximum focus and motivation, take the floor with a strong desire to show how much more quality they have compared to their opponent, and ultimately secure a win by a margin greater than the offered spread.
Tip-off Time: Sunday, 7:00 p.m. EST, March 29th
Prediction: Houston Rockets -4.5
Odds: 1.75
Stake: 1 unit
Sportsbook: BetNow
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