Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans (01-18-2026) game preview: When and where to watch, expected lineup, injury report, prediction, and more

When the New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets square off in the NBA Southwest Division at the Toyota Centre, the Pelicans hope to defeat the Rockets twice in a row. After a terrible 24.6% shooting streak from beyond the arc, the Houston Rockets finally ended their shooting slump by shooting 42.9% from three against Minnesota.

The problems facing New Orleans are not obnoxious in nature. The Pelicans push tempo and create scoring opportunities on both sides of the ball when they are healthy. This is the clubs' second meeting of the season. When the Rockets play the Pelicans on Sunday, Houston is a sizable 13-point favorite over New Orleans.

Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans - When and where to watch the game

The Houston Rockets vs the New Orleans Pelicans will tip off on Sunday, January 18, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. SCHN, Gulf Coast Sports, and Pelicans+ will telecast the entire match. Fubo and Prime Videos will also stream the whole match online.

Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans - Expected Starting Lineups

Houston Rockets

PG Amen Thompson
SG Kevin Durant
SF Josh Okogie
PF Jabari Smith Jr.
C Alperen Sengun

New Orleans Pelicans

PG Jeremiah Fears
SG Trey Murphy III
SF Saddiq Bey
PF Zion Williamson
C Derik Queen

Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans - Injury Report

Houston Rockets

• Tari Eason- Out (Ankle)
• Fred VanVleet- Out (Torn ACL)

New Orleans Pelicans

• Herbert Jones- Out (Ankle)
• Jose Alvarado- Out (Oblique)
• Dejounte Murray- Out (Achilles)

Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans - Game Prediction

The Pelicans, a 4.5-point away underdog with the Over (241.5) paying, lost to the Indiana Pacers 127-119 on Friday. The Rockets, a 3.5-point home favorite, defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, who were on the rise, 110-105 on Friday. The hit was the Under (222.5).

Furthermore, 18 out of 39 Rockets games this year have ended with more points than the present matchup's point total of 229.5. This season, the Pelicans have participated in 30 games (68.2% of opportunities) where both teams have scored more than 229.5 points. These two teams average 2.6 more points per game (232.1) than the total points scored in this game (229.5). Now, the two teams are ready to face each other.



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