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We've got another exciting 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament game on Friday's schedule as the New Orleans Pelicans will visit the Houston Rockets. Both teams are 4-3; Houston is 4-1 at home, while New Orleans is 2-2 on the road. New Orleans has won six of the last seven meetings, but the teams split last season's two games in Houston.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets are favored by 3 points in the latest Pelicans vs. Rockets odds from SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 218.5 points. Before entering any Rockets vs. Pelicans picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions from the model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 3 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a 79-42 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning more than $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Rockets vs. Pelicans. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pelicans vs. Rockets:

  • Rockets vs. Pelicans spread: Rockets -3
  • Rockets vs. Pelicans over/under: 218.5 points
  • Rockets vs. Pelicans money line: Rockets -145, Pelicans +122
  • Rockets vs. Pelicans picks: See picks here

What you need to know about the Pelicans

The Pelicans' recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their third straight loss. They found themselves the reluctant recipients of a 122-101 punch to the gut against Minnesota. The Pelicans were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 72-44, however, Brandon Ingram did have a solid game with 24 points and six assists.

New Orleans is fortunate to be at 4-4 considering its struggles on both ends of the floor. The Pelicans are in the bottom-seven in both offensive rating and defensive rating, as injuries are again afflicting the team. New Orleans was down three starters and six of its top eight scorers from last season in Wednesday's loss. For tonight, the Pelicans are undermanned again as CJ McCollum (lung) and Trey Murphy III (knee) are out, while Zion Williamson (personal) is questionable after missing Wednesday's game. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Rockets

Meanwhile, the Rockets had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 17.3 points), and they went ahead and made it four on Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Los Angeles Lakers with a sharp 128-94 victory. The Rockets' success was spearheaded by the efforts of Alperen Sengun, who earned 19 points along with seven rebounds, and Jalen Green, who dropped 28 points along with seven rebounds. 

Houston also got 50 points from its bench, which nearly doubles the 27.3 points per game it was getting from its reserves prior to Wednesday. The Rockets play at the league's slowest pace, but they make the most of their possessions with great shooting. They rank third in 3-point percentage and seventh in field goal percentage. On defense, Houston plays fundamentally and allows the fourth-fewest points per game, despite ranking in the bottom five in both steals and blocks. Sengun (ankle) is questionable on Friday. See which team to pick here.

How to make Rockets vs. Pelicans picks

The model has simulated Pelicans vs. Rockets 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it also says one side of the spread has all the value. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Rockets vs. Pelicans, and which side of the spread has all of the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 79-42 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, and find out.