Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Sunday, December 5, 2021
Venue: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Where to Watch: Sportsnet SW
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Pelicans -3, Rockets +3; Over/Under: 221 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Pelicans -3, Rockets +3; Over/Under: 222 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Pelicans -3.5, Rockets +3.5; Over/Under: 221.5 points
Season Record
New Orleans Pelicans: 7-18 (4th place, Southwest Division)
Houston Rockets: 6-16 (5th place, Southwest Division)
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Preview and Analysis
Recent Form
New Orleans Pelicans: 5-5 last 10
Houston Rockets: 5-5 last 10
New Orleans Pelicans Analysis
The Pelicans are coming into this game with a 7-18 record overall and they are 4-10 in their road games this regular season where they will be in this game. They have won 2 of their last 3 games and are coming into this one off of a win in their previous game. Their last loss was against the Dallas Mavericks while their 2 wins in that span came against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Mavericks in their last game. Brandon Ingram led the team in points in that game with 24 while Jonas Valanciunas was next on the team with 14 points. Ingram led the team in assists in that game with 12 while Willy Hernangomez led the team in rebounds off the bench with 14. They were 41.6% from the field, 40% from 3-point range, and 75% from the free throw line with their shooting in that game. Their offense is averaging 103.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 109.8 PPG against them. The Pelicans have an ATS record of 11-14 this season and their O/U record is 9-16.
Houston Rockets Analysis
The Rockets are coming into this game with a 6-16 record overall and they are 5-5 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. Their last loss was against the Boston Celtics and they have gone on a five-game winning streak since then with wins coming against the Chicago Bulls, the Charlotte Hornets, the Oklahoma City Thunder twice, and the Orlando Magic in their last game. Eric Gordon led the team in points in that game with 24 while Christian Wood was next on the team with 20 points. Kevin Porter Jr. led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Wood led the team in rebounds with 14. They were 47.3% with their field goals, 36.2% with their 3-pointers, and 86.7% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 104.6 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 112 PPG against them. The Rockets have an ATS record of 10-11-1 this season and their O/U record is 9-13.
Pelicans vs Rockets Prediction
The Pelicans are coming into this game as a 3 point favorite with the current betting odds according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Pelicans have been playing much better in their recent games and are starting to win some games against good teams. They have been winning games against teams like the Mavs and the Jazz in their recent games and Brandon Ingram has been playing great in those games as well as Jonas Valanciunas. The Rockets have also been playing much better on a 5 game win streak but they barely made it by the Magic in their last game winning it by 2 points and their good streak is likely fizzling out and coming to an end soon. The Pelicans will be tough for the Rockets to stop in this game. The best bet to place in this game is on the Pelicans to cover the spread here.
Pelicans Rockets Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Sunday, December 5, 2021 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Pelicans 119 Rockets 107.
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NBA Betting Trends
New Orleans Pelicans: 23-32 ATS when the line is +3 to -3. 8-19 ATS after a division game. 0-6 ATS off a win by 10 points or more over a division rival. 2-8 ATS off a win against a division rival. 34-55 ATS off a win by 10 points or more as an underdog.
Houston Rockets: 15-30 O/U when the line is +3 to -3. 1-6 O/U when the total is 220 to 229.5. 3-10 O/U as a home underdog of 6 points or less. 4-15 O/U at home when the line is +3 to -3. 1-5 O/U in a home game where the total is 220 to 229.5. 8-15 O/U after 3 or more consecutive wins.
Key Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: J. Hart (SG) Ques Sun - Knee injury. Zion Williamson (PF) Late Dec - Foot injury. D. Louzada (PG) Elig Jan 11 - Suspension. D. Hommes (SF) Out indefinitely - Calf injury.
Houston Rockets: U. Garuba (PF) Ques Sun - Thumb injury. K. Porter Jr. (SG) Ques Sun - Thigh injury. Jalen Green (SG) Mid Dec - Hamstring injury. J. Wall (PG) Out indefinitely - Holdout.
Notable Quotes
"Everyone feels a part of the game when the ball is moving and hopping. I'm proud of the turnaround ... and with the resilience of our team coming back and winning on their home floor." - Willie Green on his team’s win against the Mavericks on Friday night.
"It's all about growth. Whenever you see a streak like this, you see and know what it takes to win. So you can never forget moments like this. And you can't never forget the moments beforehand when we lost all those games because during that time, it wasn't fun and it's fun now and we've got to keep it going." - Eric Gordon after their win against the Magic on Friday night.
Starting Lineups
New Orleans Pelicans
PG Devonte' Graham
SG Brandon Ingram
SF Tomas Satoransky
PF Herbert Jones
C Jonas Valanciunas
Houston Rockets
PG Kevin Porter Jr.
SG Garrison Mathews
SF Eric Gordon
PF Jae'Sean Tate
C Christian Wood
Statistical Leaders
New Orleans Pelicans
PPG: B. Ingram (21.9)
APG: B. Ingram (4.7)
Reb/G: J. Valanciunas (12.1)
Houston Rockets
PPG: C. Wood (16.2)
APG: K. Porter Jr. (5.8)
Reb/G: C. Wood (11.3)
Coaches:
New Orleans Pelicans: Willie Green (1st season)
Houston Rockets: Stephen Silas (2nd season)