New Orleans Pelicans (49-33) vs LA Lakers (48-35)
Game Info: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 7:30 pm (Smoothie King Center)
Betting Odds: New Orleans Pelicans +1 --- Over/Under: 226 Click Here for the Latest Odds
The LA Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans meet Tuesday in the West NBA Play-In at the Smoothie King Center. The winner of this game will play the Nuggets and the loser plays the winner of Warriors – Kings. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Lakers vs Pelicans prediction.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are coming into this meeting with plenty of momentum as they won 11 of their last 14 games of the regular season capped by a 124-108 road win over the Pelicans on Sunday. Anthony Davis led the team with 30 points on 13 of 17 shooting, LeBron James racked up a triple-double of 28 poitns with 11 rebounds, 17 assists and five steals while Austin Reaves chipped in with 20 points on eight of 12 shooting. As a team, the Lakers shot a healthy 55 percent from the field and 11 of 29 from the 3-point line as they caught fire early and were always in control after exploding for 70 points in the first half. The Lakers didn't go to their bench players too much as their starters were really in a groove and they led by as many as 32 points for they took their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans Pelicans
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans were aiming for a fifth straight victory to cap off their regular season before they got stopped in their tracks by the Lakers on Sunday. CJ McCollum led the team with 25 points and seven assists, Herbert Jones added 18 points while Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr scored 13 points apiece. As a team, the Pelicans shot 47 percent from the field and 15 of 37 from the 3-point line as they struggled to keep pace with the Lakers from the start and didn't gain any ground until the game was out of reach.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- C.J. McCollum ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for three-pointers made Per Game (3.6) this season.
- Dyson Daniels ranks 10th amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.4) this season.
Los Angeles Lakers Player Facts
- Rui Hachimura ranks 4th amongst qualified Forwards for 3P% (42.2%) this season.
- D'Angelo Russell ranks 17th amongst qualified players for assists per game (6.3) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for H1 opponent points per game this season (54.1).
- The Pelicans rank 2nd in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (34.9%).
- The Lakers rank 30th in the league for offensive rebounds per game this season (8.2).
- The Lakers rank 30th in the league for opponent field goal attempts per game this season (93.7).
Lakers vs Pelicans prediction
The Lakers are still missing Christian Wood, and they have Anthony Davis listed as questionable, while the Pelicans don't have a single player listed on their injury report. The Lakers are the team in better shape, and they will be full of confidence after winning the last meeting at the end of the regular season. The Pelicans have all their key players healthy, and it's always tough to beat the same team twice in a row. You can make an argument for either side, but with the line so short, I have to stick with the Lakers to take care of business in this spot.
Peter’s Pick Los Angeles -1
AUTHOR: Peter Tran
