Game one of this first-round Western Conference series between the Pelicans and Thunder tips off from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City at 9:30 PM ET. TNT is carrying the game on TV, and the Thunder are the 8.5 point favorites at home. The over/under line is sitting at 214.5 points, and the money line odds are -357 for the Thunder and +282 for the Pelicans.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER BETTING PICK

The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +8.5

This game will be played at Paycom Center at 9:30 ET on Sunday, April 21st.

WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 116-114 in favor of the Thunder.
  • Our projections have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Thunder finishing with a field goal percentage of 50.0% and knocking down 14 threes.

Does New Orleans Have A Chance at Paycom Center?

In their last game, the Pelicans lost to the Lakers by a score of 124-108. The O/U line for that game was 231.5, and New Orleans was favored by 1.5 points going into the game.

This season, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 37-45, and the over has hit in their last three games. Today’s O/U line is set at 214.5, and their games have averaged a combined 225.7 points.

As the underdog, the Pelicans have gone 20-12 ATS this season and have covered the spread in their last three games as the underdog. On the road, their ATS record is 23-18 compared to 20-20 at home.

New Orleans is 8th in the Western Conference with a record of 49-33. Against the West, they are 30-22 and 19-11 against non-conference opponents. On the road, they are 28-14.

In the Western Conference, the Pelicans are 2nd in the Southwest Division. Today, they are 8.5-point underdogs and are 18-14 as the underdog this season. In their games, the average scoring margin as the underdog is +0.6 points.

One of the Pelicans’ top offensive players, Zion Williamson, is out with a hamstring injury. This season, he has averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Brandon Ingram is averaging 5.7 assists and 20.8 points. CJ McCollum has been playing well of late, averaging 28.8 points per game in his last five games on a shooting percentage of 52.5%. In these games, he hit 6.6 threes per game.

New Orleans is currently 7th in the league in three-point shooting, at 38%, and 24th in three-point attempts. Overall, they are averaging 115.1 points per game, which is 12th in the NBA. For the season, they have hit 48% of their shots from the field, which is 10th best in the league.

Coming into the game, the Pelicans defense has held opposing team’s to fewer points than the league average in 35.4% of their games. Currently, they are 2nd in the NBA at 107.3 points per game allowed. In the terms of takeaways, Pelicans are causing 12.4 turnovers per game, ranking 15th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 22nd in rejections, averaging 4.6 blocked shots each game.

Can Oklahoma City Secure a Home Victory?

As the Thunder look to improve their ATS record to 5-0, they are favored by 8.5 points against the Pelicans. Oklahoma City has won five straight games at home and has a 33-8 record at home this season.

Oklahoma City’s O/U record for the season is 44-37-1, and their games have averaged 232.8 points per game. Today’s O/U line is set at 214.5.

In their last game, the Thunder defeated the Mavericks by a score of 135-86. The combined scoring total of 221 points was well below the O/U line of 225.

Oklahoma City’s ATS win streak is currently at four games. At home, they have an average scoring differential of +13.0 points per game.

The Thunder are currently in 1st place in the Western Conference with a record of 57-25. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 36-16 and 21-9 in non-conference games.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 26 points per game in his last four games, while hitting 46.5% of his shots from the field. Over this stretch, he also averaged 4.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds. For the season, he is averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. Chet Holmgren and Aaron Wiggins have also been playing well of late, with both players averaging 15.8 points per game in their last five games.

For the season, the Thunder are the NBA’s 3rd best scoring team, at 120.1 points per game. Their average of 123.1 points per game at home is the 3rd best mark in the league. Oklahoma City is also near the top of the league in field goal percentage, at 49%.

The Thunder’s defense is presently ranked 11th in the league, allowing an average of 112.7 points per contest. In terms of two point field goal attempts, the Thunder defense has allowed a shooting percentage of 52.1% while allowing 36.4% from downtown.