Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 3/6/25
At 8:00 ET, the 5th ranked Houston Rockets (-185) will look to snap a 3-game losing streak as they travel to take on the 14th ranked New Orleans Pelicans (+156) in a Western Southwest division matchup. The over/under line for this game is set at 228.
This game will be played at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Rockets are currently 2nd in the Southwest division with a record of 37-25, while the Pelicans are 5th in the same division with a record of 17-45. The Rockets are favored by 4.5 points.
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +4.5
This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, March 6th.
WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 130-119 in favor of the Pelicans.
- Our projections have Zion Williamson finishing with 25 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
- From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.6% and knocking down 13 threes.
Taking a Look at the Rockets Chances in New Orleans
The Rockets fell to 37-25 on the season after a 115-102 road loss to the Pacers on Tuesday. Houston, who entered the game as +4.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total score of 217 points fell short of the 231-point line.
After a 30-30 tie in the 1st quarter, Indiana went on a 10-0 run, pushing the score from 45-42 to 55-42. Houston cut the deficit to 90-83 after the 3rd quarter, but the Pacers pulled away in the 4th, outscoring the Rockets 25-19.
In their 115-102 loss to the Pacers, the Rockets struggled offensively, shooting just 40.8% from the field and hitting only 9 threes at a 30% clip. Alperen Şengün led the way with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, shooting 63.2% from the floor.
Tari Eason contributed 16 points and 14 rebounds, knocking down 2 threes at 50%. Dillon Brooks added 13 points, but shot just 25% overall and 22.2% from deep, also making 2 threes.
The Rockets struggled defensively in the 2nd quarter, giving up 37 points, and allowed the Pacers to shoot 51% from the field overall. Houston’s defense tightened up in the 3rd, where they allowed just 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their earlier struggles.
From beyond the arc, the Pacers hit 17 threes at a 40% clip. The Rockets sent Indiana to the line just 10 times, where they converted all their attempts. Houston finished with 34 defensive rebounds, allowing 5 offensive boards, and recorded 6 steals but didn’t register any blocks.
Will the Pelicans Come Through as Home Underdogs?
New Orleans dropped to 17-45 on the season after a 136-115 road loss to the Lakers on Tuesday. The Pelicans entered the game as +7.5 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 251 points exceeded the O/U line of 228.5 by 22.5 points.
An 11-0 run by the Lakers turned a close game into a 57-43 deficit for the Pelicans. New Orleans won the 2nd quarter 36-33 but couldn’t sustain the momentum, as the Lakers outscored them 33-25 in the 3rd and 34-31 in the 4th.
Zion Williamson’s 37 points on 73.9% shooting led the Pelicans in their 136-115 loss to the Lakers, with Trey Murphy adding 19 points and Jordan Hawkins contributing 17. Hawkins hit 4 threes at 40%, but the team struggled from beyond the arc, making just 9 threes at 26.5%.
Despite their three-point woes, the Pelicans shot 49.5% from the field overall. Williamson scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter, while Hawkins added 9 of his own in the period.
Defensively, the Pelicans struggled against the Lakers, giving up 136 points while allowing at least 33 points in each quarter. The Lakers shot 53% from the field, with New Orleans unable to slow them down.
The Pelicans also gave up 19 threes at a 36% clip and sent the Lakers to the line 27 times, where they hit 21 free throws. New Orleans recorded 11 steals and 3 blocks in the game.