Pelicans vs Rockets Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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31 January 2024

Pelicans vs Rockets Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Fred VanVleet passed up scoring to set up his teammates in his last outing against the Lakers, but our NBA picks believe Steady Freddie will aim to fill the basket himself when the Pelicans come to H-Town tonight.

Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans are still searching for consistency in the Western Conference playoff race — and they’ll look to snap a three-game losing streak tonight when they visit the Houston Rockets.

The Pelicans’ 7-7 record in January sums up the team’s erratic play, but they looked sharper against the Boston Celtics in Monday’s 118-112 loss.

Still, the road doesn’t get much easier for New Orleans here against a Rockets team boasting a 17-8 home record this season, despite slipping out of the Play-In spots. Houston thumped the L.A. Lakers 135-119 last time out behind Jalen Green’s 34-point night. Despite that win, it's NOLA who's favored according to the NBA odds.

Get a closer look at tonight’s showdown in H-Town with my free NBA picks for the Pelicans vs Rockets on January 31.

Pelicans vs Rockets odds

Pelicans vs Rockets predictions

It hasn’t taken long for the veteran presence of Fred VanVleet to be felt in the Houston Rockets organization. Coupled with the intensity of head coach Ime Udoka and the tenacity of Dillon Brooks, FVV has kept Houston on the fringes of the postseason conversation.

The hosts will need another big game from "Steady Freddie" tonight. He was in playmaking mode against the Lakers, piling up 14 assists while only taking four shots in 37 minutes. But I expect a more aggressive scoring night here for the Rockets’ lead guard, with a physical New Orleans Pelicans frontcourt likely to make life tougher for Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.

VanVleet is averaging almost 17 ppg this year, so this line feels like a slight overreaction to some quieter outings. He’s gone past this points total eight times this month.

While his numbers from 3-point range have dipped lately with just eight makes from his last 38 attempts, I’m not sweating on that mini slump. As long as he gets double-digit shots, he’ll be in range for the Over on his points prop.

He went 7-for-15 from the field for 20 points against the Pelicans back in November, and Herb Jones — New Orleans’ best perimeter defender — is questionable tonight with a hip injury.

I’m grabbing the Over and backing VanVleet to dust off his scoring as the Rockets try to close the gap on the teams above them.

My best bet: Fred VanVleet Over 14.5 points (-112 at BetRivers)

Pelicans vs Rockets same-game parlay

Fred VanVleet Over 14.5 points

Brandon Ingram Over 21.5 points

Rockets +2.5

I’m picking another points prop here to tip off my SGP, with Brandon Ingram looking locked in this week. He’s shot at least 50% from the field in each of his last three outings, and he’s coming off back-to-back games with Over 25 points.

Though he’s going to have Brooks in his face for most of the night, Ingram should be able to feast on Houston’s small guards. I like his chances of dominating like he did in the team's first meeting of the year where he dropped 31 points.

I’m taking the hosts to cover the spread too, with the moneyline also worth a look to pump up the odds. The Rockets are 22-11 in their last 33 home games, and they scored 78 points in the first half to stun the Lakers two nights ago.

Plus, the Pels have struggled against crafty backcourt scorers this month, with Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Devin Booker all finding easy buckets. That bodes well for both VanVleet and the in-form Jalen Green.

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Pelicans vs Rockets spread and Over/Under analysis

It feels like bulletin board material for the Rockets to be home underdogs here given their record at Toyota Center. In the West, only the Denver Nuggets and L.A. Clippers have won more home games this season than Houston.

It’s not as if the Pelicans are a road powerhouse either. They’ve posted a 12-11 mark on their travels, with four straight road losses.

The Rockets have narrowly won three of the past four meetings, including the two clashes this season, though New Orleans is 6-3-1 ATS in the last 10 matchups.

My gut reaction to a total line of 231.5 is that it’s too high. Neither team reached 110 points in the two battles this season, and the past six meetings have all cashed in the Under.

But it’s so hard to know what to expect from the Pelicans at either end of the floor. They scored just 83 points in a rock fight against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday, then gave up 141 points in a weekend loss to the Milwaukee Bucks before a better effort in Boston.

Meanwhile, Houston has scored 130 points or more in three of its last four contests.