The Houston Rockets' weird schedule to start the year, with multiple days off between games, has come to an end, as they will play every other day or on back-to

When the halftime buzzer sounded at the Smoothie King Center on Thursday night, the mood in the building was heavy. The New Orleans Pelicans were down by 22 points, staring at what looked like another forgettable loss in a season already defined by struggle.

See today’s NBA same game parlay picks for the Thursday, Dec. 18 Houston Rockets vs. New Orleans Pelicans game.

After a disheartening 128-125 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets on Monday, the Rockets are returning to action with a road matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans. Their opponent has struggled, similar to last season, with a 5-22 record. The Pelicans are dead last in the West, on track to land another top draft pick in 2026.

The New Orleans Pelicans, last in the Western Conference, seek their first three-game winning streak of the season when they host the Houston Rockets on Thursday.