Rockets Visit Pelicans in First Game After Break
Fresh Start. Hot Birds. The Fight Back.
In their first game after a much-needed All-Star break, the Rockets resume action in New Orleans as they battle the Pelicans for the final time this season. Houston is 2-1 against the Pels this season, but New Orleans won the previous matchup between these squads in Houston back on January 31st. However, the Rockets won the first two matches in tightly contested battles earlier in the season. Overall, Houston has lost five of their past six games entering tonight’s contest. The Rockets’ chances for a shot at sneaking into the Play-In tournament are waning with each loss. They still have a shot, but the odds are stacked against Houston. New Orleans, meanwhile, is 33-22 and are in the middle of the thick playoff race in the West. The Pelicans are in sixth place at the moment and need every win they can get in order to position themselves pleasingly in a crowded playoff field.
These birds have been streaking lately. The Pelicans have won seven of their past eight games, and are relatively healthy at the moment. Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas will likely be big headaches for Alperen Sengun in the paint tonight. How Sengun responds is the key to tonight’s matchup. Sengun is averaging 30.5 points a contest in the Rockets wins over New Orleans this season. In the loss Sengun mustered only 10 points. The matchup inside between him and Valanciunas is the key to the game. Houston was able to get Valanciunas in foul trouble in their victories over the Pels. The Rockets need to attack New Orlean’s center, who is foul prone, as evidenced in the first two games between these squads in H-Town. New Orleans’ perimeter threats Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum both seem to always play well against Houston. The Rockets defense needs to contain the aforementioned top four players on the Pelicans squad if they want any chance to steal their sixth road win of the season tonight. Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones are other threats on the wings for New Orleans that will need to be contained by Houston’s defense. The Rockets must keep the scoring below the 110 point threshold if possible tonight. Houston has held New Orleans to 105 points a game in their three matchups this season, well below the Pelicans’ average.
After having a week off, the Rockets now begin the home stretch of the season. Houston currently holds a record of 24-30, good for 12th place in the Western Conference. If the Rockets want any chance to sneak into the Play-In tourney, they need to finish as a top ten seed. Tari Eason remains out with a leg injury, but the rest of Houston’s roster should be rested and ready to go. Tonight’s contest will reveal just how much fight this Houston squad has in them. Are they content staying on the outside looking in at the playoffs this season? Or do the Rockets really want to surprise the basketball world, and sneak into the Play-In? Tonight’s result and the effort Houston puts forth in the Big Easy will answer those questions… along with giving fans a quick glimpse of how the Rockets will approach these final 28 games of the season.
Smoothie King Center: New Orleans, Louisiana
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (24-30): Red
New Orleans Pelicans (33-22): White
Tip-Off: 7:00 PM CT
TV: Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass