New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Prediction 2-22-24 Picks

Houston Rockets (24-30) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (33-22)
February 22, 2024 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans -6.5; Over/Under: +227
(Get latest betting odds)

The Houston Rockets and the New Orleans Pelicans collide at the Smoothie King Center on Thursday night. Here’s a Rockets vs Pelicans Prediction.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been in a real slump as they’ve lost five of their last six games overall and they will be hoping to bounce back after getting beaten by the depleted Grizzlies in a 121-113 road loss in their last game before the break. Dillon Brooks, Alperen Sengun and Aaron Holiday each scored 19 points while Jeff Green chipped in with 10 points off the bench. As a team, the Rockets shot just 41 percent from the field and 11 of 36 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match the Grizzlies from the start, allowing 36 points in the first quarter fall behind by as many as 23 points, before they made a run in the second half to keep it to single digits in the end.

New Orleans Pelicans

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in great shsape as they’ve won seven of their last eight games overall and they will be aiming for a fourth straight victory after sneaking past the Wizards in a 133-126 win in their last outing before the All-Star break. Zion Williamson led the team with 36 points, six rebounds and eight assists, CJ McCollum added 26 points with six assists while Brandon Ingram chipped in with 18 points and eight assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot 56 percent from the field and 10 of 32 from the 3-point line as they jumped all over the Wizards from the start, exploding for 37 points in the second quarter, before they poured in another 34 points in the fourth quarter after the Wizards rallied all the way back in the contest.

New Orleans Pelicans Team Facts

• The Pelicans have won each of their last 10 night games against teams that held a losing record.
• The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as favorites against Southwest Division opponents.
• Each of the Pelicans’ last seven games as favorites against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.

Houston Rockets Team Facts

• The Rockets have lost 24 of their last 25 road games following a road loss.
• The Rockets have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games against Western Conference opponents.
• Five of the Rockets’ last six road games against Western Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.

Rockets vs Pelicans Prediction

The Rockets are still shorthanded with Tari Eason still out, while the Pelicans could be without Brandon Ingram due to an illness. The Rockets could really do with a win to get themselves out of the slump they’re in, but they’ve struggled all season and are now up against a Pelicans team playing some of their best basketball of the season. There’s still an injury cloud hanging over Ingram for this one, but I still like the Pelicans to take care of business at home.