NEW ORLEANS (Interstat) — The Houston Rockets, firmly in the Western Conference playoff picture, visit the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday at Smoothie King Center in a matchup of teams on divergent paths.

Houston (44-29) arrives after a 119-109 road victory over Memphis on Friday, powered by a 21-point, 16-rebound performance from forward Jabari Smith. The Rockets have won three of their last five and are battling for postseason positioning. Smith has been a consistent force, averaging a double-double over his last 10 games, including a 37-point, 16-rebound effort against Minnesota on March 25.

In contrast, New Orleans (25-49) has lost three straight and eight of its last ten, most recently a 129-108 defeat in Detroit on Thursday. Despite the team’s struggles, star forward Zion Williamson remains productive, scoring 21 points in that loss and averaging 20.3 points over his last ten contests.

The season series favors Houston 2-1. The teams last met on March 13 in Houston, a narrow 107-105 Rockets victory where Smith had 16 points and Williamson finished with 21 points and five rebounds. The Pelicans’ lone win came at home on Dec. 18, 2025, a 133-128 shootout.

For the Rockets, veteran forward Kevin Durant, who had 25 points and 10 assists against Memphis, provides a steadying presence alongside Smith. The Pelicans will look for Williamson to control the interior and for support from recent contributors like center Derik Queen, who posted a double-double against Detroit.

Sunday’s game represents a critical opportunity for Houston to solidify its standing and avoid a letdown against a lower-ranked opponent before a tough upcoming schedule. For New Orleans, it’s a chance to play spoiler and build momentum in the season’s final weeks. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT.