The Houston Rockets (20-9) are 8.5-point favorites as they attempt to extend a three-game winning streak when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans (5-25) on Thursday, December 26, 2024 at Smoothie King Center. The contest airs at 8:00 PM ET on SCHN and Gulf Coast Sports.

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Rockets vs. Pelicans Game Info & Odds

• Date: Thursday, December 26, 2024
• Time: 8:00 PM ET
• How to watch on TV: SCHN and Gulf Coast Sports
• Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Venue: Smoothie King Center

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Rockets vs. Pelicans Score Prediction

• Prediction:
  Rockets 117 – Pelicans 104

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Spread & Total Prediction for Rockets vs. Pelicans

• Pick ATS: Rockets (- 8.5)
• Computer Predicted Spread: Rockets (-12.2)
• Pick OU:

  Under (222.5)
  

• Computer Predicted Total: 221.1

• The Pelicans (11-19-0 ATS) have covered the spread 62.1% of the time, 25.4% less often than the Rockets (18-11-0) this season.
• When the spread is set as 8.5 or more this season, Houston (3-3) covers a higher percentage of those games when it is the favorite (50%) than New Orleans (3-8) does as the underdog (27.3%).
• When it comes to eclipsing the total in 2024-25, New Orleans and its opponents do it more often (50% of the time) than Houston and its opponents (48.3%).
• As a moneyline favorite this year, the Rockets are 16-5, while the Pelicans are 3-20 as moneyline underdogs.

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Rockets Performance Insights

• The Rockets are putting up 112.9 points per game this season (13th-ranked in NBA), but they’ve really thrived on defense, ceding only 106.3 points per contest (third-best).
• Houston is allowing 43.6 boards per game this season (10th-ranked in NBA), but it has thrived by grabbing 49.6 rebounds per contest (best).
• The Rockets haven’t put up many assists this year, ranking second-worst in the NBA with 22.6 assists per game.
• Houston is sixth in the NBA with 12.9 turnovers per game this year. Meanwhile, it ranks 14th with 14.2 forced turnovers per game.
• The Rockets rank 25th in the NBA by sinking 11.8 treys per game, but they have a 32.4% shooting percentage from downtown, which ranks second-worst in the league.

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Pelicans Performance Insights

• Offensively, the Pelicans are the worst team in the league (105.7 points per game). On defense, they are 25th (117.2 points conceded per game).
• New Orleans is 22nd in the NBA in rebounds per game (43.1) and fifth-worst in rebounds allowed (45.7).
• The Pelicans are 25th in the league in assists (24 per game) in 2024-25.
• New Orleans commits 14.5 turnovers per game and force 14 per game, ranking 17th and 16th, respectively, in the NBA.
• Beyond the arc, the Pelicans are worst in the league in 3-pointers made per game (11.1). And they are fifth-worst in 3-point percentage at 33.2%.

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