The New Orleans Pelicans will take on the Houston Rockets on January 31 (Wednesday). This will be the third meeting between the two teams. Houston won the first two matchups. Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson played well against the Rockets and will lead the Pelicans in the upcoming contest. The Rockets have alternated wins and losses in their last four matches. They are coming off an impressive 135-119 win over the LA Lakers on Monday and could go on a modest two-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Pelicans have lost their last three games. They had a great chance to beat the Boston Celtics on Monday but fell short in the fourth quarter.
Preview
New Orleans’s defense took off in its last four losses. They lost by an average of 17.0 points during that period. The Pelicans regained some of their better defense against the Boston Celtics but ran into foul trouble early in the fourth quarter. Pelicans top defender Herb Jones is questionable for the upcoming game. If he is unable to play, they could be in trouble again. The Houston Rockets need to build on their big win over the Lakers. They have to stay focused and turn their attention to the New Orleans Pelicans, who are desperate to break out of their losing slump.
Expected Starting lineup
If Herb Jones gets cleared to play, he will start the game. Otherwise, Larry Nance Jr. will replace him. Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas and CJ McCollum will start the game for the Pelicans. The Rockets have been using the same starting lineup for most of the season. They will likely stick with Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green.
Betting tips & Prediction
Zion Williamson has a 22.5 over/under point prop, which is almost identical to his season average of 22.0 points per game. He is averaging 22.5 points in his last four matches, so betting under him would be a better option. Alperen Sengun’s over/under point prop is 23.5, which is a little higher than his season average of 21.9 points per game. He scored 31 points against the Lakers and could have another big scoring game against Orleans’ sluggish defense.
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The Houston Rockets will be confident after their win over the LA Lakers. They can go undefeated and win the season series against the New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams combine for 230.3 points per game, slightly less than the point total of 230.5. The contest’s point total is predicted to go down.
