Pelicans vs. Clippers Odds, Analysis, Prediction ATS

New Orleans Pelicans (36-37 SU, 34-39-0 ATS) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (39-35 SU, 37-36-1 ATS)

When: Saturday, March 25th, 10:30 PM (ET)

Where: Crypto.com Arena, CA, Los Angeles

TV: BSNO

Point Spread: NO +5/LAL -5 (Bet your games at -105 odds instead of -110 at BAS Sportsbook! It’ll save you tons of money and you’ll be so glad you made the switch!)

Total: 224.5

Money Line: New Orleans Pelicans +168/-203

Notable Injuries

Pelicans

• Zion Williamson (Out) Hamstring
• Trey Murphy III (Questionable) Toe
• Jose Alvarado (Out) Lower Leg
• EJ Liddell (Out) Knee

Clippers

• Paul George (Out) Knee
• Norman Powell (Out) Shoulder
• Brandon Boston Jr. (Out) Tailbone

Recent Form

Heading into the game, New Orleans is 36-37 overall. When taking to the road, New Orleans has a mark of 12-24 and a win percentage of 33%. Currently, the team is 9th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 34-39-0 vs the spread. In their matchup against Los Angeles, the New Orleans Pelicans have won 3 straight games and will look to push that mark to 4 in a row.

In their previous game, the New Orleans team emerged victorious against the Hornets, winning by a margin of 9 points as predicted. Brandon Ingram shone for the Pelicans, scoring 30 points on a shooting percentage of 43.5%. The Pelicans not only won the game but also successfully covered the spread.

Heading into the game, Los Angeles is 39-35 overall. When playing at home, Los Angeles has a mark of 20-17 and a win percentage of 54%. Currently, the team is 4th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 37-36-1 vs the spread. In Los Angeles’ last 5 games, the Clippers have a straight-up record of 3-2 while going 3-2 in those games. Going back to the last 10, they are 6-4 and 6-4 ATS.

The Clippers came away with a win in their last matchup against the Thunder, achieving a 127-105 victory as 4-point favorites. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with an impressive performance, scoring 32 points on a shooting percentage of 86.7%. In addition to the win, the Clippers also covered the spread.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Pelicans picked up the win 112-91 win over the Clippers. Heading into the game, New Orleans was the 2.5-point underdogs, giving them an ATS win. This has been the only matchup between the two teams this season. The Pelicans have had the better record vs. the spread over the last 5 games, going 4-1. The team’s average scoring margin in these contests sits at 10 points per game. New Orleans and Los Angeles averaged a combined 210 points per game in these games, leading to an over-under mark of 1-4.

Analysis

This year, the New Orleans offense is not only near the NBA average in points at 114.0 points per game, but they are also playing at a pace similar to the league average. So far, the Pelicans are ranked 14th in possessions per contest. New Orleans comes into the game ranked just 28th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 35.6% of their shots from deep, which places them 23rd in the NBA. On defense, the Pelicans are allowing an average of 110.28 points per game, placing them 13th in the league. So far, teams have shot 36.48% on their looks from outside vs. New Orleans. This figure places them 26th in 3-point shooting defense.

CJ McCollum is the top scorer for the Pelicans, with an average of 21.0 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 43.4%. Jonas Valanciunas is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game.

This season, Los Angeles is averaging just 112.9 points per game, which places them 23rd in the league. A major reason for these low numbers is the fact that they play at one of the slower paces in the NBA at just 97.9 possessions per game. In terms of 3-point shooting, the Clippers are ranked 14th in attempts per game. However, they have been one of the more efficient shooting teams in the league, connecting at a rate of 37.7%. Defensively, the Clippers have been one of the best units in the NBA, allowing just 108.39 points per game. So far, they have done an excellent job defending the 3-point arc, allowing teams to hit just 34.31%.

A major injury to note for today’s game is that Los Angeles will not have Paul George available, as is already listed as out on the injury report. Kawhi Leonard will take on the role as the primary scorer for the team. This season, Leonard is averaging 23.9 points per game for the Clippers.

Betting Trends

• Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
• Pelicans are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 games overall.
• Clippers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
• Clippers are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Saturday games.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Both these teams are playing decent defense as of late. I make this over/under hitting at 216-220, so am happy to lock in a potential value play here at UNDER 224.5. Bet your NBA and March Madness predictions for FREE by scoring a 100% REAL CASH bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $300 when you use bonus code PREDICT100 at MyBookie Sportsbook!