Thursday, December 18, the Houston Rockets (16-7) will face the New Orleans (2-19) at the Smoothie King Center.
When: Thursday, December 18 @ 7:00 PM CT
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans
Where to watch:
Space City Home Network (local)
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NBA League Pass (with subscription)
Subject to local blackouts
Rockets vs. Pelicans Injury Report
New Orleans Pelicans
Dejounte Murray (Achilles) — Out Expected to return after the New Year
Houston Rockets
Fred VanVleet (ACL) – Out for the season
Dorian Finney-Smith (Ankle) – Out; expected to miss time until at least January
Tari Eason (Oblique strain) – Questionable
What this means for tonight is fairly straightforward. Houston is still shorthanded in the backcourt and on the wing, but the identity of the team hasn’t shifted. If Eason is able to go, it adds another layer of defensive pressure and transition chaos. If not, the Rockets will lean even harder into discipline, rebounding, and half-court execution.
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For New Orleans, Murray’s continued absence limits shot creation and perimeter stability, forcing them to rely on early, downhill offense. Against a Houston defense that thrives on slowing games down and shrinking space, that’s a difficult equation to solve.
The bigger impact shows up in lineup flexibility. New Orleans will be pushed into extended minutes from secondary ball-handlers, which plays directly into Houston’s pressure-heavy style. On the Rockets’ side, rotations become more intentional with fewer bodies available, leaving less room to mask mistakes.
Houston has already shown it can survive and win with shortened lineups when roles are clearly defined. Over 48 minutes, that discipline tends to favor the more organized team.
