Rockets vs Hornets Prediction NBA Picks 1/26/24

Charlotte Hornets (10-31) vs Houston Rockets (20-22)

Game Info: Friday, January 26, 2024 at 7:00 pm (Spectrum Center)

Betting Odds: Charlotte Hornets +5.5 -- Over/Under:

The Houston Rockets and the Charlotte Hornets collide at the Spectrum Center on Friday night. Here’s a Rockets vs Hornets 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 snap a two-game skid after falling painfully short to the Trail Blazers in a 137-131 overtime loss on Wednesday. Alperen Sengun led the team with 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, Jalen Green added 29 points on 12 of 24 shooting while Fred VanVleet chipped in with 18 points and seven assists. As a team, the Rockets shot 53 percent from the field and 12 of 36 from the 3-point line as they led by three points with 1.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, before the Trail Blazers made the clutch 3-pointer to send it into overtime and steal the game in the end. The Rockets will face the Nets, Lakers, and Pelicans after this game.

Houston Rockets Player Facts

• Fred VanVleet ranks 4th amongst qualified players for assist:turnover ratio (5.3) this season.
• Alperen Sengun ranks 4th amongst qualified Centers for assists per game (5.1) this season.

Charlotte Hornets

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets have been in a real funk as they've lost eight of their last 10 games overall and they will be hoping to bounce back here after getting beaten by the Pistons in a 113-106 road loss on Wednesday. Brandon Miller led the team with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Nick Richards added 21 points with 10 rebounds while Miles Bridges chipped in with 20 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, the Hornets shot 43 percent from the field and 15 of 38 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in control when they poured in 40 points in the third quarter to take lead, only to go ice-cold and score just four points in the final 3:39 to allow the Pistons to slip away.

Charlotte Hornets Player Facts

• LaMelo Ball ranks 12th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.2) this season.
• Nick Richards ranks 20th amongst qualified players for Blocks Per Game (1.2) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Hornets rank 30th in the league for point differential per game this season (-11.0).
• The Hornets rank 30th in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (40.1%).
• The Rockets rank 2nd in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (75.7%).
• The Rockets rank 2nd in the league for Q4 win percentage this season (58.1%).

Rockets vs Hornets Prediction

The Rockets are keeping eyes on Jae'Sean Tate and Reggie Bullock who are both listed as questionable, while the Hornets are coming in with a full squad once again. The Rockets have been mired in their worst slump of the season and they might still be hurting after their painful overtime loss to the struggling Trail Blazers. The Hornets have continued to struggle this season and they might be at an all-time low after losing to the league-worst Pistons on Wednesday. You couldn't back either team with much confidence these days, but I'm slightly more comfortable backing the Rockets to get the narrow win and cover on the road.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.