New Orleans Pelicans vs Houston Rockets Betting Pick & Prediction 3/8/25
At 7:00 ET, the Houston Rockets (-338) will host the New Orleans Pelicans (+272) in a Western Southwest Division matchup. The Rockets are favored by 8.5 points and the over/under line is set at 229.5. The Pelicans have lost two straight and are 14th in the Western Conference with a record of 17-46. Houston is 5th in the West and has a record of 38-25.
This game will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston and can be seen on SCHN.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS HOUSTON ROCKETS BETTING PICK
The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +8.5
This game will be played at Toyota Center at 7:00 ET on Saturday, March 8th.
WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 121-117 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 47.4% and knocking down 13 threes.
Will the Pelicans Defense Show Up on the Road?
The Pelicans fell to 17-46 on the season after a 109-97 home loss to the Rockets on Thursday. New Orleans, who entered as +3.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The game’s total of 206 points was well below the O/U line of 231.5.
New Orleans led 34-31 after the 1st quarter, but an 11-0 run by the Rockets stretched the score from 59-54 to 70-54. The Pelicans were outscored 33-15 in the 3rd quarter, and despite winning the 4th quarter 23-20, they couldn’t overcome the deficit.
The Pelicans struggled offensively in their 109-97 loss to the Rockets, shooting just 37.3% from the field and hitting 9 threes at a 33.3% clip. Trey Murphy III led the way with 26 points, including 15 in the opening quarter, and made 3 threes at 37.5% efficiency.
Zion Williamson contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 8 points in the 4th quarter despite shooting 33.3% from the field. CJ McCollum also shot 33.3%, finishing with 13 points and 3 made threes, hitting 50% from beyond the arc.
The Pelicans gave up 109 points to the Rockets, with their toughest stretches coming in the 1st and 3rd quarters, where they allowed 31 and 33 points, respectively. However, they tightened up in the 4th, holding Houston to just 20 points.
Despite the loss, New Orleans limited the Rockets to 9 made threes on 31% shooting from deep. They also sent Houston to the line 18 times, where they made 8 free throws. Defensively, the Pelicans recorded 9 steals and 7 blocks.
Can the Rockets Please their Home Crowd?
The Rockets improved to 38-25 on the season with a 109-97 road win over the Pelicans on Thursday. Houston, favored by 3.5 points, covered the spread, while the game’s total of 206 points fell well short of the 231.5 O/U line.
A key 11-0 run by the Rockets stretched their lead from 59-54 to 70-54. Houston dominated the 3rd quarter, outscoring New Orleans 33-15, and entered the 4th with an 89-74 lead before the Pelicans edged them 23-20 in the final period.
Alperen Şengün led the Rockets to a win over the Pelicans, scoring 22 points on 78.6% shooting, with 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Amen Thompson added 21 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 76.9%, while Tari Eason contributed 20 points, hitting 4 threes at 50% efficiency.
Houston shot 56.8% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 9 threes at a 31% rate. Şengün scored 8 points in the 3rd quarter, while Thompson added 6 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters.
After a rough start, the Rockets tightened up defensively, allowing just 63 points over the final three quarters to secure a 109-97 win over the Pelicans. Houston gave up 34 points in the 1st quarter but responded by holding New Orleans to just 15 points in the 3rd.
The Rockets limited the Pelicans to 37% shooting from the field, including 33% from beyond the arc, where New Orleans hit 9 threes. Houston also recorded 10 steals and 6 blocks in the game.