Houston Rockets at New Orleans Pelicans

Last-Minute Matchup Update: Rockets at Pelicans — March 29, 2026 (7:00 PM ET, Smoothie King Center)

Rockets Injury Report (No Changes from Yesterday)

Houston's injury report remains unchanged. Fred VanVleet (ACL) and Steven Adams (ankle surgery) are both confirmed out for the season. No new additions to the injury report, and no game-time decisions on the Rockets' side. The full rotation headlined by Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, and Jabari Smith Jr. is available.

Pelicans Injury Report — Key Late Developments

New Orleans has TWO notable game-time questions as of this morning:

• Trey Murphy III (Questionable – Ankle): Murphy is the Pelicans' leading scorer (21.7 PPG, 3.3 3PM/g, 6th in NBA). His status is unresolved. If he sits, New Orleans loses their primary offensive engine and spacing threat — a significant downgrade.
• Dejounte Murray (Questionable – Achilles): Murray, the team's primary playmaker/facilitator, is also listed as questionable. If he is out, the Pelicans' ball-handling and half-court offense becomes severely depleted.
• Bryce McGowens (Out – Toe): Confirmed out; minimal impact on rotations.

If both Murphy and Murray are ruled out before tip, the Pelicans' effective roster shrinks dramatically and the spread could move further in Houston's favor.

Line Movement & Betting Context

• Current spread: Rockets -6.5 (Pelicans +6.5 at -110); opened around -6.5 with no significant movement detected, suggesting the Murphy/Murray questionables were already priced in as of last night.
• Moneyline: Rockets are clear favorites on the road.
• Notable ATS trend: Pelicans have covered the +6.5 line in 8 straight home games and 14 of their last 20 at home. Rockets have failed to cover -6.5 in 9 of their last 10 road games and 16 of their last 20 road games — a sharp lean toward the Pelicans covering regardless of personnel.

Rockets Recent Form

Houston enters on a 1-game winning streak after defeating Memphis 119-109 on the road (Durant: 25 pts, J. Smith: 21 pts, A. Thompson: 18 pts). Over the last 10 games, the Rockets are 5-5 with no back-to-back fatigue concerns today.

Pelicans Recent Form

New Orleans has lost 4 straight, including a 119-106 road loss at Toronto most recently (Williamson: 22 pts). The Pelicans are playing at home, which is their stronger environment (16-22 at home vs. 9-28 on the road).

Key Watchpoints in the Next 3 Hours

1. Official Murphy/Murray rulings — check the NBA's official injury report ~90 minutes before tip. If both are OUT, expect the Rockets' implied win probability to jump and the line to potentially move to -8 or beyond.
2. Rockets rotation load management — no indication of rest moves, but this is a back-half-of-season game against a non-playoff team; monitor for any late Rockets scratches.
3. Zion Williamson is fully active and has scored 20+ in 4 straight — he remains the x-factor even in a depleted Pelicans lineup.

Last-Minute Matchup Update: Pelicans vs. Rockets — March 29, 2026 (7:00 PM ET, Smoothie King Center)

🔴 Injury Report Changes (Key Updates Since Yesterday)

New Orleans Pelicans — 3 Players Listed:

• Trey Murphy III (Ankle) — QUESTIONABLE: Murphy was ruled OUT for the March 26 game vs. Detroit, so his upgrade to Questionable today is a meaningful development. He is the team's leading scorer (21.7 PPG on the season) and top 3-point shooter (3.3 3PM/game, 6th in NBA). His availability or absence is the single most important variable for New Orleans tonight. Monitor for a final designation ~90 minutes before tip.
• Dejounte Murray (Achilles) — QUESTIONABLE: Murray had been listed as out for load management during the team's March 27 back-to-back (vs. Toronto), but is now upgraded to Questionable. He was averaging 4+ assists over his last active stretch. His return would provide needed playmaking depth.
• Bryce McGowens (Toe) — OUT: No change; remains sidelined.

Houston Rockets — 2 Players Listed (No Changes):

• Fred VanVleet — Out For Season (ACL)
• Steven Adams — Out For Season (Ankle) No new injuries or late scratches on the Houston side. Their full healthy rotation — led by Kevin Durant (26.0 PPG), Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, and Jabari Smith Jr. — is expected to be available.

📊 Line & Betting Movement

• Opening line: Rockets -6.5 (as of March 28, 22:02 ET)
• Current line: Rockets -6.5 at -110 (no significant movement detected as of this morning)
• The spread appears stable, suggesting no new sharp money or major information shift has hit the market overnight. Notable ATS trend: Pelicans have covered +6.5 in 8 consecutive home games and in 14 of their last 20 overall — this may be absorbing public money on the underdog side.
• Total is set at Over/Under 225.5.

📋 Context & Form Heading Into Tonight

• Pelicans are on a 4-game losing streak (most recently lost 119-106 at Toronto on ~March 27). This is a home game and a potential bounce-back spot.
• Rockets won their last game, defeating Memphis 119-109 on the road. They enter as the No. 6 seed fighting for playoff positioning and are motivated.
• Houston holds a 7-3 H2H advantage over the last 10 meetings and has won the last 2 matchups straight up (119-110 and 107-105), both at Toyota Center. Tonight is on neutral-ish ground for Houston as it's in New Orleans.
• Pelicans are 16-22 at home this season; Rockets are 19-19 on the road.

⚡ Key Storyline to Watch

The status of Trey Murphy III is the crux of this game for New Orleans. If he plays, the Pelicans have a legitimate offensive weapon who can stretch Houston's defense and keep the game competitive. If he's out again, New Orleans will lean heavily on Zion Williamson (20.6 PPG L10) and Saddiq Bey (19.5 PPG L20), but loses its primary perimeter threat. Expect the official pregame lineup report to resolve this within the next 2–3 hours.

Sources: AM 1300 The Zone injury report (March 29, 2026); SportsGambler.com preview (updated March 29, 05:40 ET)