The extremely desperate New Orleans Pelicans travel to the “Space City” to take on the surging Houston Rockets on this Friday evening. Join us for our NBA odds series, where our Pelicans-Rockets prediction and pick will be revealed.

Right in the thick of the NBA Play-In Tournament with an overall record of 33-36, the Pelicans currently sit half of a game behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the tenth and final postseason slot out west. With Zion Williamson continuing to be sidelined due to injury, can the shorthanded Pelicans keep their playoff aspirations alive with a big-time road win in Houston?

In the midst of their longest winning streak of the season after winning back-to-back games over the Boston Celtics and LA Lakers, the Rockets are playing like a team that wants nothing to do with the top overall pick in next year's NBA Draft. With only 13 games remaining, can Houston finish off the campaign on the right foot to instill some much-needed enthusiasm for next season's squad?

Here are the Pelicans-Rockets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NBA Odds: Pelicans-Rockets Odds

New Orleans Pelicans: -5.5 (-110)

Houston Rockets: +5.5 (-110)

Over: 228.5 (-110)

Under: 228.5 (-110)

How To Watch Pelicans vs. Rockets

TV: Bally Sports New Orleans/Bally Sports Southwest

Stream: NBA League Pass

Time: 8:10 ET/5:10 PT

*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread

Losers in four of their previous six games overall, the Pelicans dropped a critical matchup against the Lakers last time out on the floor in which they failed to grab the upper hand versus a team that is also in the race for a Play-In Tournament spot. Believe it or not, but it was only a few months ago when New Orleans seemed like a legitimate contender in the Western Conference as they were 23-13 overall before the New Year greeted them to a rude awakening. Since then, the ‘Pels have gone 10-23 and are in serious danger from missing out on the fun of the postseason.

Nevertheless, it is now a must-win mode for New Orleans from here on out, as a spectacular team effort will need to be in order to cool down a Rockets squad that is fresh off of two impressive wins in a row. Above all else, if New Orleans wants to cover the spread and also bring home the victory to The Big Easy, they will need to improve upon their three-point shooting as well as an increased effort on the glass. By the time the final horn sounded in the loss to the Lakers on Tuesday, the Pelicans only shot 25% from downtown and also failed to corral rebounds at a consistent rate as they were edged in that department by Los Angeles 52-41.

Although the Rockets lack experience, they display tremendous size and length with their young bucks. Not only will top guys like C.J. McCollum need to get going from the jump, but center Jonas Valanciunas has to establish his presence in the paint all night long.

Why The Rockets Could Cover The Spread

Outside of the fact that the Rockets have nothing to lose while the pressure is mounting against the Pelicans with their playoff chances hanging in the balance, Houston has a good chance to cover the spread simply because they are a more healthier crew than New Orleans at the moment. Not to mention, but let's not forget that Houston has stepped up their play in mind-boggling fashion as well.

Throughout the season, the Rockets have ranked 28th among NBA teams in offensive rating, but over the course of their last seven games, Houston has improved their play with the ball in their hands mightily with the tenth-best efficiency in the league. A big reason why the Rockets have enhanced their ability to score is thanks to the uptick in aggressiveness and confidence in rookie Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr, and leading scorer Jalen Green. Yes, this talented trio's combined age is at 61 years of life experience, but they have been playing like savvy veterans who have something to prove to the rest of the league and what they think about the Houston Rockets heading into next season.

Most importantly, if there is one singular thing that Houston strives at, it is the fact that they happen to average the fourth-most rebounds per game in all of the association. Bafflingly enough, it is the Rockets' ability to record second-chance opportunities that will determine whether or not they are able to cover the spread in this Friday night bout.

Final Pelicans-Rockets Prediction & Pick

Since a three-game winning streak that took ended on Feb. 10th, the Pelicans have amassed a disappointing 4-9 record and are trending negatively heading into this one. In addition, based on how the Rockets have played of late, siding with Houston and banking on them to cover the spread seems more realistic at home.

Final Pelicans-Rockets Prediction & Pick: Rockets +5.5 (-110)