New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
The Pelicans (-138) are favored by 2.5 over the Thunder (+115) in a Western Conference matchup. The over/under line is set at 241.
Oklahoma City (31-13) has won four straight and is currently 2nd in the West. New Orleans (26-18) is 6th in the conference and leads the Southwest Division.
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Head-to-Head and Key Stats
The Thunder and Pelicans did not have any head-to-head matchups last season. But over the last three times playing each other, the Thunder have a record of 2-1. The Thunder also had the edge vs. the spread in these games, at 2-1. These games averaged a combined total of 221 points per game leading to an over/under record of 1-2.
- The Thunder are 3-0 ATS in their three last road games and 3-0 straight-up.
- Through their last ten home contests, the Pelicans offense has averaged 126 points per game while allowing an average of 111. New Orleans posted an overall record of 8-2 while going 7-3 ATS.
- Through their last five games as the underdog, the Thunder have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.
- The Pelicans have played well in their last five games as the betting favorite, going 3-2 straight up and 3-2 against the spread.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction
In their last game, the Thunder defeated the Spurs by a score of 140-114. The combined scoring in that game easily went over the O/U line of 241.
Oklahoma City has won four straight games and is currently 2nd in the Western Conference with a record of 31-13. In the Western Conference, they are 19-10 compared to 12-3 against non-conference opponents.
On the road, the Thunder have an average scoring margin of +6.1 points per game. This season, they are 14-8 on the road and have covered the spread in three straight games.
Against the spread, the Thunder are 30-14 this season and have been the underdog in 16 of their games. As the underdog, they are 9-7 straight-up and 11-5 ATS.
This season, the Thunder have played in 36 games with lower over/under lines than today’s line of 241. On average, their games have finished with 235.5 points.
The Thunder are one of the most efficient shooting teams in the league, ranking 2nd in field goal percentage and 1st in true shooting percentage. They are also 3rd in two-point field goal percentage at 57%.
When it comes to scoring, Oklahoma City is 3rd in the NBA at 121.9 points per game. However, they are averaging slightly fewer points on the road compared to their season average.
From beyond the arc, the Thunder are 2nd in three-point shooting at 39%. They are making an average of 13.1 three-pointers per game, which is 14th in the league.
Coming into today’s game, the Thunder’s defense is giving up an average of 113.6 points per contest. In the terms of takeaways, Thunder are causing 11.7 turnovers per game, ranking 2nd in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 1st in rejections, averaging 6.5 blocked shots each game.
The Pelicans are 26-18 this season and are currently in 6th place in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, they are 18-16 and 5-6 against teams in their division.
New Orleans’ ATS record for the season is 25-19, with a home ATS record of 14-9 and 11-10 ATS on the road. Today, they are favored by 2.5 points and have a record of 13-12 vs. the spread as the favorite and 15-10 overall.
In their last game, the Pelicans easily covered the spread as 6.5-point favorites against the Jazz. They won the game by a score of 153-124, and the O/U line for the game was 240.
This season, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 22-22, with an average of 229.6 points per game. Today’s O/U line of 241 is the highest of the season for them, as all of their previous games have had lower lines.
At 117.5 points per game, the Pelicans are 12th in the NBA in scoring. Interestingly, their scoring average is virtually identical at home (117.6) and on the road (117.4). So far, they have outscored the league average in 54.5% of their games.
When it comes to pace, New Orleans is 19th in the league at 98.3 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 8th overall at 48%. This efficiency has also translated to the free-throw line, where the Pelicans are 7th in made free throws per game (19.2).
From beyond the arc, the Pelicans are 5th in three-point shooting percentage at 38%. However, they are just 23rd in three-point attempts per game (32). In terms of assists, New Orleans is 11th in the NBA with 27.2 per game.
Coming into today’s game, the Pelicans’ defense is giving up an average of 112.5 points per contest. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Pelicans are forcing 12.5 per game, which is 10th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 21st in blocked shots at 4.7 per game.
Despite being 2.5 point underdogs, we predict the Thunder to come out on top with a final score of 118-117.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Tips
- We like the Thunder on the moneyline (+115)
- The Thunder are also our pick on the spread at +2.5
- Our NBA model projects 235 points, and we suggest taking the under
New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report
- Matt Ryan – Elbow – Out
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report
- Olivier Sarr – Hip Flexor – Out
