The Houston Rockets get set to take on the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday night inside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. They tip it off at 8:00 pm in a game that both teams would love to have. Both teams think they can contend in the Western Conference.  Bookmaker has installed the Pelicans as a 2.5-point favorite. 

The Rockets (22-24) have not set the world on fire and they have managed to win two out of their last three games overall. They sit 3 1/2 games behind the Dallas Mavericks, who are leading the pack in the Southwest Division. This is a good test because they are looking up at the Pelicans too. The Rockets need to figure out a way to be more consistent on the offensive side of the court. 

On offense, they are led by center Alperen Sengun who has quietly put together a nice season as he is leading the team in scoring with 21 a game to go along with just under ten rebounds and 5.1 assists per contest. He runs the floor well for a big man, but overall he needs some help from his teammates and that is where shooting guard Jalen Green enters the mix.

He has to step up and take more responsibility in the offense. He has to trust himself more and also be more decisive when he puts the ball on the floor and attacks the rim. This could be a high-scoring game as the Rockets have combined with their opposition to net more than 228.5 points in 20 out of their 47 total games this season. 

Houston connects on 55% from the floor, including 35% from beyond the arc. Look for them to push the pace and get some open looks on the perimeter. 

The Pelicans (26-21) have hit a rough patch and have dropped three straight games and will be looking to snap that slide with a win on Wednesday night. They have dropped five of seven overall and still remain five games over .500 on the season.

However, they have had some bad defensive lapses late in games and their shot is not falling down when they get some open looks. They need to clean up their offense going forward as well and consistently rely on young rising star Zion Williamson. 

Williamson is a great offensive player but he just needs to remain healthy and on the floor. He is netting a solid 22 a game to go along with hauling down just under six rebounds a contest. He also has a nice option to go to veteran small forward Brandon Ingram who has added 21 a game and has also been able to torch the Rockets to the tune of 25 a game in his career.

This could be a game where the Rockets continue to double Williamson which allows Ingram to get others involved as well. 

The Pelicans have covered 26 out of 47 games against the number this season. Overall, they are 26-20-1 against the spread. They are 1-4 in their last five games and 2-3 in their last five games against the number too. They are a solid 12-10. in their road contests against the spread. The Rockets are 24-20-2 overall against the spread this season. Houston is also 2-3 in their last five games and 4-1 in their last five games against the number. They are a poor 8-12 in their road games against the spread.