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NBA Lines: New Orleans vs. Houston Pick & Basketball Betting Preview

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NBA betting action sees the New Orleans Pelicans taking on the Houston Rockets Sunday December 18th at Toyota Center, Houston, TX Cappers Picks provides free NBA handicapping tips all season long.

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New Orleans Pelicans (12-12) vs. Houston Rockets (19-5)
Venue/ Stadium: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Time/Date: 8:30 PM EST Thursday, December 18, 2014
NBA Betting Odds
NBA Betting Point Spread: Rockets -2
NBA Betting Over/Under Odds: 205
***2014 NBA BONUSES***
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Click here to view today’s… ATS Matchup Insight | CP Insider Gambling Preview

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Houston Rockets Preview

On the season the Pelicans are 13-11 ATS and they have an O/U record of 16-8 and the Rockets are 14-10 ATS and they have an Under record of 7-17.

This season the Rockets are 9-3 at home and the Pelicans are 4-9 on the road.

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In their last games the Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 115-111 in OT and the Pelicans beat the Utah Jazz 119-111.

The Rockets look for their 4th straight home win tonight, but they will be facing a Pelicans’ team that is playing well on offense and is 4-2 in their last 6 games. In their last 6 games New Orleans is averaging 112.5 ppg and as a team are shooting 51.2% from the floor.

The Rockets’ defense ranks a solid 3rd in the league in opponents’ points allowed, but C Dwight Howard is a question mark.

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He is recently coming back from a knee injury and in 2 games back is averaging 25 ppg and 14.5 rpg. However, playing last night he may not go tonight.

If Howard cannot go the team will need to really concentrate of stopping Anthony Davis, who has scored 31 points in each of his last 2 games. They also have to play solid perimeter D against Ryan Anderson, who is averaging 24.3 ppg and has hit 16 of 32 3-pointers in his last 3 games, and Tyreke Evans, who ias averaging 28 ppg in his last 3.

If Howard can go he may have another big game, as in the last 4 games the Pelicans are giving up an average of over 53 ppg in the paint.

James Harden leads the league in scoring and he and the Rockets will be facing a Pelicans’ defense that only ranks 23rd in the league in opponents’ points per game. Harden was solid in the Denver game on the road and while he has averaged 28 ppg in his last 7 games facing New Orleans he is shooting under 30% from the field in his last 2 home games.

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Even though the Rockets are not the high scoring team they were last season their D is much better and they are balanced with 6 players averaging in double figures.

NBA Betting Trends

* New Orleans is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
* New Orleans is 3-0-1 ATS in their last 4 games against the Rockets.
* Houston is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
* Houston is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
* Houston has an Under record of 13-3 in their last 16 home games.

4*Cappers NBA Free Pick

I think Howard will go tonight and because of that the Rockets will win this game and cover the spread.

Check out our Updated NBA Betting Odds.

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By Jason Green

Jason Green is back with Cappers Picks again to give out his free sports plays. As always he's hoping the Braves and Redskins can win a championship since their last one in the 90’s was long ago. He’s starting to know the pain of Cubs fans.