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The Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans are battling in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs, with Game 3 coming up.
The Thunder are a slight 1-point favorite against the Pelicans. The game features a point total of 208.5.
Thunder vs. Pelicans Odds
Point Spread for Thunder vs. Pelicans
The spread for this matchup is set at 1 point, with bookmakers listing the Thunder as the favorite.
Oklahoma City vs. New Orleans Moneyline
As for the moneyline, Oklahoma City has -118 odds to win the game, while New Orleans is listed at -102 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 208.5 points.
Game Time and How to Watch
- When: Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 3:30 PM ET
- Where: Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: TNT
Thunder vs. Pelicans Betting Trends
The Thunder have covered the spread 46 times this season (46-35-1). Oklahoma City has entered the game as favorites 61 times this season and won 47, or 77%, of those games. This season, Thunder games have hit the over 43 times.
The Pelicans have compiled a 44-36-2 record against the spread this year. New Orleans has come away with 18 wins in the 32 contests it has been listed as the underdog this season. This season, Pelicans games have hit the over 36 times.
Thunder vs. Pelicans Key Players to Watch
Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts up 30.1 points, 5.5 boards and 6.2 assists per game. At the other end, he averages 2.0 steals (first in league) and 0.9 blocks. Chet Holmgren posts 16.5 points, 7.9 boards and 2.4 assists per contest, shooting 53.0% from the floor and 37.0% from beyond the arc, with 1.6 made 3-pointers per contest. Jalen Williams puts up 19.1 points, 4.0 boards and 4.5 assists per game, shooting 54.0% from the floor and 42.7% from downtown (ninth in league), with 1.5 made 3-pointers per contest. Josh Giddey’s numbers on the season are 12.3 points, 4.8 assists and 6.4 boards per contest.
Pelicans
Brandon Ingram gives the Pelicans 20.8 points, 5.1 boards and 5.7 assists per game. He also averages 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks. CJ McCollum averages 20.0 points, 4.3 boards and 4.6 assists, making 45.9% of his shots from the floor and 42.9% from 3-point range (seventh in league), with 3.6 triples per contest (third in NBA). 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 gives the Pelicans 11.0 points, 3.6 boards and 2.6 assists per contest, plus 1.4 steals (seventh in NBA) and 0.8 blocks.
What you need to know about the Thunder
The Thunder own a top-five offense this year, ranking third-best in the league with 120.1 points per game. At the other end, they rank 11th with 112.7 points allowed per contest. The Thunder have struggled to accumulate rebounds this season, ranking fourth-worst in the league with 42.0 rebounds per game. They rank 23rd by allowing 44.7 boards per contest. This year, the Thunder rank 11th in the league in assists, delivering 27.1 per game.
Oklahoma City is averaging 123.1 points per game at home. In road games, it is averaging 117.0 points per contest. Oklahoma City ranks best in the NBA with a three-point shooting percentage of 38.9%. It ranks eighth in the league by draining 13.3 three-pointers per contest. Oklahoma City is ceding 13.4 threes per game (22nd-ranked in NBA) this season, while allowing a 36.1% three-point percentage (12th-ranked).
The Thunder have gone 7-3 in their past 10 games, with a 5-5 record against the spread in that span. Oklahoma City has gone over the total in five of its past 10 contests. On the offensive side of the ball, the Thunder have struggled over their last 10 games, scoring 115.5 points per contest over that stretch as opposed to the 120.1 they’ve put up over the course of this year. Oklahoma City has been tougher on defense as of late, allowing 105.9 points per game during its last 10 contests compared to the 112.7 points per game its opponents average over the 2023-24 season.
What you need to know about the Pelicans
At 115.1 points scored per game and 110.7 points allowed, the Pelicans are 13th in the league on offense and eighth defensively. In 2023-24, New Orleans is 12th in the NBA in rebounds (44.0 per game) and seventh in rebounds allowed (42.3). This season the Pelicans are ranked 12th in the league in assists at 27.0 per game.
In 2023-24 the Pelicans are averaging 0.4 fewer points per game at home (114.9) than away (115.3). Beyond the arc, the Pelicans are 18th in the league in 3-pointers made per game (12.5). They are fourth-best in 3-point percentage at 38.3%. Defensively, New Orleans is 24th in the league in 3-pointers allowed per game at 13.5. It is second-best in 3-point percentage allowed at 34.9%.
The Pelicans have gone 4-6 in their past 10 contests, with a 4-6 record against the spread during that span. New Orleans has hit the over in six of its last 10 contests. In its previous 10 games, New Orleans is tallying 109.2 points per game, compared to its season average of 115.1. Over their last 10 games, the Pelicans are giving up 113.1 points per game, 2.4 more points than their season average (110.7).
Thunder vs. Pelicans Prediction & Pick
Our pick to win this contest is Thunder, and we project that Thunder will cover the spread (Thunder -1). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 208.5 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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