Pelicans vs. Rockets: No Time To Lose | March 17
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The season may not be over for the New Orleans Pelicans (33-36), but a loss tonight against the Houston Rockets (17-52) will be a gut punch and possible knockout blow they want to avoid.
New Orleans travels to Houston for the first of two games against the Rockets this weekend and still has an outside chance of making the Play-In tournament in the Western Conference.
Jan 4, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) blocks a shot from Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) during the first quarter at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
- When: Tuesday, March 17 @ 7:00 PM CT
- Where: Houston, TX - Toyota Center
- Watch: Bally Sports NO
- Listen: 99.5 WRNO
New Orleans has beaten the Rockets five-straight times, dating back to last season. The average margin of victory is 15 in these games, so the Pelicans have dominated this matchup lately. Houston's 17-52 record reflects how porous they are on both ends of the court, allowing 118.3 points per game and ranking 27th in the league defensively. New Orleans scored 119 points in both victories earlier this season.
Don't expect Houston to be in tank mode. The Rockets won two straight games surprising the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
Second-year guard Jalen Green leads the team in scoring 21 points per game. Houston is the second-youngest team in the NBA, and it shows. They lead the league in turnovers (16.6) and have the lowest assist/turnover ratio in the NBA (1.36).
In the November 12 matchup, the Rockets committed 26 turnovers. The Pelicans are 15-13 when they commit fewer turnovers than their opponent.
New Orleans has dominated Houston averaging 53 points in the paint on the Rockets. The Rockets have the 26th-worst-ranked paint defense over 82 games.
The Pelicans have a definitive size advantage with Jonas Valanciunas at 6-11, so they must get the big man going early.
The Pelicans need CJ McCollum to get going after shooting 38% from the field in the last three games. Clearly, his thumb injury is affecting him, yet McCollum is playing through it. CJ had a big game in the previous matchup versus the Rockets. He scored a game-high 28 points.
The next stretch is pivotal for the Pelicans to have an opportunity to make the playoffs. They start the weekend playing the Rockets twice, followed by the games against the Spurs and Hornets. In 2022-23, New Orleans is 6-0 against these teams, and gaining wins will be vital to improving their playoff hopes.
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