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The New Orleans Pelicans (18-12) are favored by 8.5 points when they host the San Antonio Spurs (10-20) on December 22, 2022 at Smoothie King Center. The game pits one of the highest-scoring squads in the NBA against one of the poorest defensive squads, as the Pelicans are third in points scored per game (117.3), while the Spurs are 30th in points allowed (119.5). The matchup’s point total is 228.
How to bet Pelicans vs. Spurs
New Orleans Pelicans vs. San Antonio Spurs Odds
Point Spread
The spread for this matchup is set at 8.5 points, with bookmakers listing the Pelicans as the favorites.
Moneyline
As for the moneyline, the Pelicans have -366 odds to pick up the win, while the Spurs are listed at +291 to claim victory.
Over/Under
Finally, the total for the game is set at 228 points.
Pelicans vs. Spurs Game Time and How to Watch
- Game Day: Thursday, December 22, 2022
- Game Time: 8:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: BSNO
- Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
- Arena: Smoothie King Center
Pelicans vs. Spurs Betting Trends
Against the spread, the Pelicans are 15-15-0 this year. New Orleans has been victorious in 13, or 65%, of the 20 contests it has been chosen as favorites in this season. Pelicans games this year have gone over the point total 17 times in 30 opportunities (56.7%).
The Spurs are 13-17-0 against the spread this year. San Antonio has won 32.1% of the games this season it was the underdog on the moneyline (9-19). The Spurs have eclipsed the over/under 46.7% of the time this year (14 of 30 games with a set point total).
Potential Starting Lineups and Key Players
Pelicans
| Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CJ McCollum | 26 | 18.7 | 5 | 5.8 | 1 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Jonas Valančiūnas | 30 | 13.7 | 9.3 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
| Trey Murphy III | 28 | 12.2 | 4.3 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| Herbert Jones | 21 | 10.2 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| Jose Alvarado | 29 | 9.2 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 1.5 |
Spurs
| Name | GP | PTS | REB | ASST | STL | BLK | 3PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keldon Johnson | 27 | 21.1 | 5.2 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 2.7 |
| Devin Vassell | 24 | 20 | 4 | 3.5 | 1 | 0.4 | 2.9 |
| Jakob Poeltl | 22 | 12.4 | 9.5 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 1 | 0 |
| Tre Jones | 29 | 12.4 | 3.6 | 6.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Josh Richardson | 21 | 10.7 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.9 |
Pelicans: Zion Williamson: Out (Health Protocols), Larry Nance: Questionable (Achilles), EJ Liddell: Out (Knee), Brandon Ingram: Out (Toe)
Spurs: Keldon Johnson: Doubtful (Lower Back), Jakob Poeltl: Probable (Knee), Romeo Langford: Probable (Ankle), Blake Wesley: Out (Knee), Joshua Primo: Out (Undisclosed)
What you need to know about the New Orleans Pelicans
New Orleans has been carried by its offense, as it ranks third-best in the NBA by scoring 117.3 points per game. It ranks 14th in the league in points allowed (112.5 per contest). The Pelicans are posting 116.8 points per game in home games. When playing on the road, they are faring better offensively, averaging 118 points per contest. The Pelicans have been racking up 118.7 points per game in their last 10 appearances, an average that’s slightly higher than the 117.3 they’ve scored over the course of the 2022-23 campaign.
New Orleans ranks 22nd in the NBA with 11.2 treys per game this season. Meanwhile, it ranks 11th with a 36.7% shooting percentage from beyond the arc. The Pelicans have taken 65.8% two-pointers and 34.2% threes this year. Of the team’s baskets, 74.1% are two-pointers and 25.9% are threes.
What you need to know about the San Antonio Spurs
In 2022-23, San Antonio is fifth-worst in the NBA offensively (110.3 points scored per game) and worst defensively (119.5 points conceded). At home, the Spurs average 109.7 points per game. On the road, they score 111.2. The Spurs have played better offensively in their past 10 games, tallying 112.5 points per contest, 2.2 more than their season average of 110.3.
In 2022-23, San Antonio is 16th in the NBA in 3-point makes (11.5 per game) and 19th in 3-point percentage (34.6%). The Spurs take 63.2% percent of their shots from inside the 3-point line, and 36.8% percent from beyond it. In terms of makes, 72.6% of the Spurs’ baskets are 2-pointers, and 27.4% are 3-pointers.
Our prediction to win this matchup is the Pelicans, and we expect that Pelicans will cover the spread (Pelicans -8.5). Finally, we see the scoring in this one going over the posted total of 228 points.
You can bet on Pelicans vs. Spurs at every legal online sportsbook. For more NBA odds, including moneylines, spreads, over/under totals as well as NBA prop odds, check out the latest NBA lines as well as our guide to the best NBA betting sites.
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