The New Orleans Pelicans head to Hollywood to take on the LA Clippers at the Staples Center on Wednesday night.
New Orleans will try to end a three-game losing streak and get back to the .500 mark. Their Monday game against the Dallas Mavericks was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols so this will be the Pelicans’ first game of the week. On the other hand, the Clippers will attempt to build on their Sunday win over the Chicago Bulls. The Clippers had to crawl their way back from a seven-point halftime lead to pick up just their third win in their last six games played.
The New Orleans Pelicans are off to a 4-5 start this season. The Pels are currently third in the Southwest division team standings and are just 12th in the Western Conference. New Orleans heads to this game with a three-game losings streak and has lost their last three head-to-head meetings against the Clippers.
In their last game, the Pelicans blew an 18-point lead and suffered a 118-110 loss to the Charlotte Hornets last Friday. Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 29 points while Josh Hart added 19 as New Orleans lost for the third straight time at their home court. Brandon Ingram had a bad shooting night and shot just 3-10 from the field. J.J. Redick added 17 points but is listed as probable in this game
New Orleans has the fifth-best defense in the NBA, allowing just 106.6 points per game this season. The Pelicans also rank 3rd in rebounding at 48.4 boards grabbed per contest. They are 22nd in passing at 23.3 assists per game and are 25th in scoring at 107.1 points per game scored.
The LA Clippers are 7-4 SU to start the 2020-21 season. The Clippers are currently in second place in the Pacific Division behind only the defending champions Lakers. Los Angeles is tied for second in the West along with Phoenix and Utah. The Clippers are just 3-3 SU in their last six games but are coming off a win over the Chicago Bulls.
Kawhi Leonard went over the 10,000 point scoring plateau in their last game with a season-high 35 points. George added 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists as the team avoided losing two in a row for the first time this season. Lou Williams had another big scoring night with 21 points off the Clippers bench. Marcus Morris Sr. and Serge Ibaka also scored in double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Ivica Zubac had a team-high seven rebounds while scoring five points.
The Clippers rank 14th in the league in scoring at 111.8 points per game this season. They also have the 16th best scoring defense in the NBA at 110.8 points per game allowed. Los Angeles is tied for 15th in passing at 24.6 assists per game and they are dead last in rebounding at only 41.1 boards grabbed per contest.
New Orleans is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games played. The Pelicans are 2-2 SU in four road games played this season, and 0-6 SU in their last six games against the Pacific Division. The LA Clippers are 6-4 SU in their last 10 games played and 3-2 SU in their last five games played at home. The Clippers are 11-4 SU in their last 15 games played against the Southwest division. Head to head, the Clippers are 4-2 SU in their last six games players against the Pelicans. Los Angeles is also 10-2 SU in their last 12 home games against New Orleans.
The Pelicans have not been able to finish games and although they have never been out of any game that they have played so far, New Orleans hasn’t been able to pick up plenty of wins.
In their last game, they blew an 18-point lead and lost to the Hornets. The offense has been a problem as Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson have not gotten the much-needed support.
The Clippers have one of the most explosive offenses in the NBA with Kawhi, PG, and Lou Williams leading the charge. However, Los Angeles’ problems have been on the other end of the floor where they’ve allowed at least 115 points in three out of their last four games. If they want to win here, they need to play good defense against New Orleans.
I think this game goes down to which team has more firepower. The Pelicans don’t have the kind of scoring prowess that the Clippers have. New Orleans has played great defense this season but I don’t think they can stop the Clippers’ offense. The Pelicans could also be without J.J. Redick and Lonzo Ball here.
Prediction: LA Clippers
The Pelicans are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games played. New Orleans is 1-6 ATS in their last seven games against the Western Conference. The Clippers are 2-4 ATS in their last six games played. Los Angeles is also 2-6 ATS in their last eight games played at home, and 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played in January. Head to head, the Pelicans are 8-4 ATS in their last 12 games played against the Clippers.
The Pelicans have used their tough defense to pick up wins this season. Overall, their offense has been shaky although the team has picked it up in their last five games. However, against a Los Angeles Clippers team that is loaded with scorers like Kawhi, PG, and Lou Williams, it’s not going to be enough to win the game or cover the spread. The Clippers have outscored the Pelicans by an average of 7.0 points per game in their last three games played. Los Angeles should have more than enough points to cover this six-point spread.
Prediction: LA Clippers -6
The total has gone over in four out of the last five games played by the Pelicans. The under is 5-1 in New Orleans’ last six games played on the road. The total has gone over in six out of the 11 games played by the Clippers this season. The under is 12-6 in their last 18 games against the Western Conference. The Clippers have seen the total go under in 12 out of their last 18 games as the betting favorites. Head to head, the total has gone over in three out of the last four meetings between these two teams.
The Pelicans have the 6th lowest scoring average in the league this season at only 107.1 points per game. However, they have put up at least 110 points in their last five games played. The Clippers meanwhile are in the upper half in scoring at 111.8 points per game and are just 16th in defense at 110.8 points per contest. The Pelicans are an excellent defensive team this season but against the Clippers, they will struggle against Los Angeles’s formidable offense which put up 130 points the last time out against the Bulls. I’ll take the over with New Orleans getting their offensive wheels going as of late.
Prediction: Over 220.5
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