New Orleans Hornets vs. Houston Rockets Preview
Where: Toyota Center – Houston, TX
When: Friday, March 24, 2017 – 9:00 PM ET
Line: New Orleans Hornets (+7) vs. Houston Rockets (-7); total: 228.5 – view all NBA lines
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Betting on the New Orleans Hornets (30-41)
The Pelicans will enter the contest having won five of their last six (SU and ATS), with the most recent being the 95-82 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. DeMarcus Cousins had his best game as a Pelican – 41 points, 17 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
It might be too late now since there’s only 11 games left in the season and they’re still a couple of games out of a playoff spot, but at least they’re building chemistry for the future.
Many of the things they did in that said stretch can also be good for tomorrow’s game, especially since one of those Ws came against the Rockets. In that 128-112 home win, the team collectively shot 53.3 percent from the floor, Anthony Davis scored 24 and grabbed 15 rebounds, and unheralded forward Solomon Hill posted a career-high 30 points, including six threes.
Among the things they’ve done well in these past six outings can be seen on offense. The Pels are pouring in 113.8 PPG on 49.1 percent shooting, while also showcasing crisp ball movement by producing 24.8 APG.
Betting on the Houston Rockets (49-22)
Like their next opponents, the Rockets are also winners in five of their six (3-3 ATS). They just gone done beating the Denver Nuggets on a back-to-back meeting, wherein James Harden exploded for a combined 79 points, 17 rebounds, and 21 assists in the two contests.
Despite losing to the Pelicans just a week ago, we should easily consider Harden and company to be ways ahead. For one, they are still leading the season series, 2-1, and they won by an average of 26 points. Also, the Rockets are 8-1 (4-4-1 ATS) against them at home since the start of the 2012-13 season.
Along with “The Beard,” who, as you may now, is among the biggest contributors in the wave of monster stat lines we’ve seen this year (19 triple doubles, four in his last five games), we can also expect reigning three-point king Eric Gordon to pile up buckets. The former Pelican seems to love playing against his ex-teammates, and he’s averaging 20 points and five threes against them this season.
Houston leads the league in trifectas (14.6 per game), and is second only to the Golden State Warriors in points (115.8 PPG), assists (25.3 APG), and offensive efficiency.
Writer’s Prediction
Houston (-7) wins the game and the season series, 125-110. The winner of their three previous matchups have scored an average of 126.3 points.
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