The Houston Rockets (14-12) travel to face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (17-12) on Saturday, December 23rd. This game will be played at Smoothie King Center. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.

Rockets vs Pelicans

The Rockets Are Coming Off A Win

In their most recent game, the Rockets took down the Mavericks by a score of 122-96. Rockets’ victory in this game wasn’t just a straight-up win; they also covered the spread as -8.5-point favorites. In terms of the over/under, the combined 218 points was below the over/under line of 222.

In non-conference games, the Rockets are 1-4 and are 13-8 against Western Conference opponents. Overall, they are 14-12 and have gone 1-2 in their last three games.

Houston has an overall ATS record of 17-8 as they come into today’s game. Houston has struggled to cover the spread in their last two road games and has an ATS record of 5-6 on the road, while it is 12-2 at home.

The Pelicans Are Coming Off A Win

In the Pelicans’ most recent game against the Cavaliers, Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 28 points while going 10/16 from the field. CJ McCollum also contributed 18 points as the Pelicans won by a score of 123-104 vs. the Cavaliers.

Coming into today, the Pelicans are 17-12 overall and are 2-1 in their last three games. In the Western Conference, they are 6th and are leading the Southwest division.

New Orleans has an ATS record above .500, currently standing at 17-12 against the spread. The Pelicans maintain an ATS record of 7-8 on the road, while they have a 10-4 record vs. the spread when playing at home.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

In 26 games games, Houston has an average of 111.8 points per game (24th). Coming into today’s game, the Rockets will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 12.4 made 3’s per game. Not only is the Houston offense struggling with their outside shot, but they are also getting to the charity stripe at a below average rate. So far, they are the 14th ranked team in made free-throws per contest.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

Coming into today’s action, New Orleans is averaging 116.1 points per contest. This figure places them 12th in the league. In terms of pace, the Pelicans are one of the top units in the NBA, averaging 99.2 possessions per game. Although their effective field goal percentage in the NBA stands lower at just 54%, the team’s up-tempo style of play has helped them make up for their below average shooting numbers.

Rockets Team Defense

Coming into today’s game, the Rockets’ defense is giving up an average of 107.9 points per contest.

The Houston defense has allowed opponents to shoot 31.4% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 43.9% of their field goal attempts vs. Houston.

Pelicans Team Defense

At present, the Pelicans’ defense is ranked 14, allowing 113.5 points per game.

Most recently, the Pelicans’ defense put together a solid performance, giving up just 104 points to the Cavaliers.

Key Players For The Rockets And Pelicans

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Alperen Sengün will be the primary scorer for the Rockets, with 16 points and going 7/13 from the field. For the season, he has been averaging 19.8 points per game, in addition to 9.2 rebounds.

On the opposing side, we anticipate Brandon Ingram to be the top scorer for the Pelicans. Our projection has him finishing the game with 16, and he is expected to secure 3 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 50.1% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 23.3 points per game.

Rockets vs Pelicans Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Rockets have a straight up record of 2-8 while going 5-4-1 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 112 points per game in these contests.
• When looking at their past five home matchups, New Orleans has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 122 per game. The team went 4-1 overall in these games.
• Going back to their last ten games as the underdog, the Rockets have a straight up record of 3-7. But, their mark vs the spread was just 5-4-1.
• The last ten games that New Orleans was favored, they have an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 7-3 straight up.

 

Rockets vs Pelicans Prediction

 

We’re putting our money on the Pelicans to win, and have the projected score sitting at 117-107. We also like them to cover the spread, so our recommendation is to bet on the Pelicans at -7.

Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 223.5, and our model predicts the Rockets and Pelicans to score a combined 224 points. We recommend betting on the over.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.