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The Oklahoma City Thunder will play the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 1 of the opening round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Thunder are an 8.5-point favorite against the Pelicans when the Thunder and the Pelicans square off. The over/under for the game is set at 216.
Thunder vs. Pelicans Odds
Point Spread for Thunder vs. Pelicans
The spread for this matchup is set at 8.5 points, with oddsmakers listing the Thunder as the favorite.
Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Oklahoma City has -355 odds to win the game, while New Orleans is listed at +280 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the over/under for the game is set at 216 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- When: Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 9:30 PM ET
- Where: Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- TV: TNT
Thunder vs. Pelicans Betting Trends
The Thunder are 46-35-1 against the spread this season. This season, Oklahoma City has won 47 out of the 61 games, or 77%, in which it has been favored. This season, 43 of the Thunder’s games have gone over the point total.
The Pelicans have covered the spread 44 times this year (44-36-2). New Orleans has been an underdog in 32 games this season and has come away with the win 18 times (56.2%) in those contests. Games involving the Pelicans have hit the over 36 times this season.
Thunder vs. Pelicans Key Players to Watch
Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander posts 30.1 points, 5.5 boards and 6.2 assists per contest. At the other end, he averages 2.0 steals (first in league) and 0.9 blocks. Chet Holmgren averages 16.5 points, 7.9 boards and 2.4 assists per game, shooting 53.0% from the floor and 37.0% from downtown, with 1.6 made 3-pointers per contest. Jalen Williams’ numbers for the season are 19.1 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 boards per game. Josh Giddey averages 12.3 points, 6.4 boards and 4.8 assists per contest. At the other end, he averages 0.6 steals and 0.6 blocks.
Pelicans
Brandon Ingram averages 20.8 points, 5.1 boards and 5.7 assists, making 49.2% of his shots from the field and 35.5% from beyond the arc, with 1.3 triples per game. CJ McCollum gets 20.0 points, 4.3 boards and 4.6 assists per contest, plus 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks. Jonas Valanciunas gives the Pelicans 12.2 points, 8.8 boards and 2.1 assists per contest, plus 0.4 steals and 0.8 blocks. Herbert Jones’ averages for the season are 11.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists, making 49.8% of his shots from the field and 41.8% from beyond the arc, with 1.5 treys per contest.
What you need to know about the Thunder
The Thunder are allowing 112.7 points per game this year (11th-ranked in NBA), but they’ve really played well on offense, putting up 120.1 points per contest (third-best). The Thunder are averaging only 42.0 rebounds per game (fourth-worst in NBA), and they are allowing 44.7 boards per contest (23rd-ranked). The Thunder rank 11th in the NBA with 27.1 dimes per game.
Oklahoma City scores 123.1 points per game in home games, compared to 117.0 points per game when playing on the road, a difference of 6.1 points per contest. Oklahoma City is making 13.3 three-pointers per game this year (eighth-ranked in NBA), and it has a 38.9% three-point percentage (best). This year, Oklahoma City is allowing 13.4 three-pointers per game (22nd-ranked in NBA) and is allowing opposing teams to shoot 36.1% (12th-ranked) from beyond the arc.
The Thunder have gone 7-3 over their last 10 games, with a 5-5 record against the spread during that span. Oklahoma City has hit the over in six of its last 10 outings. The Thunder have seen a downturn in scoring recently, racking up 117.8 points per game in their last 10 outings, 2.3 points fewer than the 120.1 they’ve scored this season. The last 10 games have seen Oklahoma City give up 3.7 fewer points per game (109.0) than its season-long average (112.7).
What you need to know about the Pelicans
The Pelicans put up 115.1 points per game and allow 110.7, making them 13th in the NBA offensively and eighth on defense. New Orleans is 12th in the NBA in rebounds per game (44.0) and seventh in rebounds conceded (42.3). This season the Pelicans are ranked 12th in the NBA in assists at 27.0 per game.
The Pelicans are putting up fewer points at home (114.9 per game) than away (115.3). The Pelicans are 18th in the league in 3-pointers made (12.5 per game) and fourth-best in 3-point percentage (38.3%). New Orleans is 24th in the league in 3-pointers conceded (13.5 per game) and second-best in 3-point percentage defensively (34.9%).
The Pelicans are 4-6 against the spread and 5-5 overall in their last 10 games. Five of New Orleans’ past 10 games have hit the over. New Orleans has fared worse offensively in its previous 10 games, averaging 110.5 points per contest, 4.6 fewer points its than season average of 115.1. The Pelicans are allowing 111.5 points per contest over their past 10 games, compared to their season average of 110.7 points allowed.
Thunder vs. Pelicans Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this matchup is Thunder, and we predict that Pelicans will cover the spread (Thunder -8.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 216 points.
How to bet Thunder vs. Pelicans
You can bet on Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans at every legal online sportsbook. For more college basketball odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals, check out the latest NCAA lines as well as our guide to the best college basketball betting sites.
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