New Orleans Pelicans vs San Antonio Spurs Betting Pick & Prediction 12/8/24
At 7:00 ET, the 11-12 San Antonio Spurs (-195) will host the 5-19 New Orleans Pelicans (+165) in a Western Southwest division matchup. The Spurs are currently 4.5-point favorites and have lost three straight games. The over/under line for this game is 225 points.
This game will be played at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio and can be seen on Gulf TV. The Pelicans are 15th in the Western Conference, while the Spurs are 11th.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS SAN ANTONIO SPURS BETTING PICK
The Pick: San Antonio Spurs -4.5
This game will be played at Frost Bank Center at 7:00 ET on Sunday, December 8th.
WHY BET THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 145-125 in favor of the Spurs.
- Our projections have Victor Wembanyama finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
- From the field, we have the Spurs finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.7% and knocking down 17 threes.
Can the Pelicans Pull the Upset on the Road?
The Pelicans dropped to 5-19 on the season after a 119-109 home loss to the Thunder on Saturday. New Orleans, who were +8 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread. The total score of 228 points went over the pre-game line of 222.5.
Oklahoma City took control early with a 10-0 run, and the Pelicans couldn’t recover. The Thunder outscored New Orleans 42-28 in the 2nd quarter, and despite a strong finish by the Pelicans, who won the 3rd and 4th quarters, the early deficit was too much to overcome.
Dejounte Murray led the Pelicans with 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in their 119-109 loss to the Thunder, shooting 53.3% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. Herbert Jones added 24 points on 80% shooting, knocking down 2 threes at 50% efficiency, while Trey Murphy contributed 16 points, making 3 threes at 50% as well.
The Pelicans struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 29.7% with 11 made threes. Overall, they shot 48.1% from the field. Murray scored 13 of his points in the 3rd quarter, while Jones added 9 points in the 4th.
The Pelicans’ defense struggled early, giving up 77 points in the first half, but they tightened up in the 3rd and 4th quarters, allowing just 42 points combined. Despite the improved effort, they still allowed the Thunder to shoot 52% from the field.
From beyond the arc, New Orleans held Oklahoma City to 12 made threes on 37% shooting. The Pelicans sent the Thunder to the line 21 times, where they converted 17 free throws. Defensively, the Pelicans recorded 15 steals and 6 blocks.
Can San Antonio Grab a Win at Home?
The Spurs fell to 11-12 on the season after a 140-113 home loss to the Kings on Friday. San Antonio, who entered the game as +6.5 point underdogs, couldn’t cover the spread. The total score of 253 points exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 228 by 25 points.
San Antonio started strong with a 10-0 run, but the Kings took control, outscoring the Spurs 36-26 in the 2nd quarter. Heading into the 4th quarter down 100-86, the Spurs were outscored 40-27 in the final period.
Julian Champagnie knocked down 6 threes at a 50% clip, finishing with 30 points in the Spurs’ 140-113 loss to the Kings. He was the only Spur to hit more than 2 threes, as the team shot 34.1% from deep, making 14 threes overall.
Stephon Castle added 15 points, 8 of which came in the 3rd quarter, while Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan each contributed 14 points. The Spurs shot 42.9% from the field as a team.
Defensively, the Spurs struggled against the Kings, giving up 140 points on 56% shooting. Sacramento scored at least 31 points in every quarter, including 40 in the 4th. San Antonio also allowed the Kings to hit 47% of their threes, with 16 made from beyond the arc.
The Spurs sent the Kings to the line 24 times, where they converted 22 free throws. San Antonio finished with 30 defensive rebounds, allowing 7 offensive boards. They also recorded 8 steals and 5 blocks.