Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 1/26/24
At 8:00 ET, the Pelicans (-138) will host the Thunder (+115) in a Western Conference matchup. Oklahoma City is currently on a four-game win streak and has a record of 31-13, while New Orleans is 26-18 and ranked sixth in the West. The Pelicans are favored by 2.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 241.
This game will be played at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans and can be seen on BSNO.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder +2.5
This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Friday, January 26th.
WHY BET THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 118-117 in favor of the Thunder.
- Our projections have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finishing with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
- From the field, we have the Thunder finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.4% and knocking down 13 threes.
Do the Thunder Stand a Chance on the Road?
The Thunder are 31-13 this season and have won four straight games. In the Western Conference, they are currently in 2nd place.
Oklahoma City’s ATS record for the season is 30-14, including a 14-8 mark on the road. They have covered the spread in their last three road games.
As the underdog, the Thunder have a record of 9-7 and are 11-5 ATS. Today, they are getting 2.5 points on the spread.
In their last game, the Thunder beat the Spurs by a score of 140-114. The O/U line for that game was also 241 points.
This season, the Thunder have played in games with an average O/U line of 234 points. Their games have averaged a combined 235.5 points.
So far, the Thunder have an O/U record of 25-19 for the season.
So far this season, the Thunder have been one of the most efficient offenses in the league. They are currently 3rd in field goal percentage at 50% and are 2nd in three-point shooting at 39%. In terms of scoring, they are 3rd in the NBA, averaging 121.9 points per game.
When playing on the road, the Thunder have averaged 119.9 points per game. Overall, they have outscored the NBA average in 72.7% of their games. In terms of pace, they are 10th in the league at 99.8 possessions per game.
When it comes to getting to the free-throw line, the Thunder are 16th in the NBA in attempts at 22.6 per game. In terms of offensive rebounds, they are 29th in the league with an average of 8.6 per game.
At this time, the Thunder’s defense is positioned 14th in the NBA, permitting 113.6 points per game. Inside the arc, the Thunder defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 51.3% and 36.2% from three-point territory.
Will New Orleans Make it Happen at Home?
In their last game, the Pelicans defeated the Jazz by a score of 153-124. The combined scoring total of 277 points easily went over the O/U line of 240 points.
Today, the Pelicans are favored by 2.5 points against the Thunder. In their 44 games this season, they have been the favorite in 25 games and have gone 15-10 straight-up and 13-12 ATS in those games. As the favorite, they have a scoring margin of +7.7 PPG.
So far this season, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 22-22. In all of their games, the average combined scoring total is 230 points, which is lower than today’s O/U line of 241.
As the favorite, the Pelicans have gone 13-12 ATS at home and 11-10 ATS on the road. Their overall ATS record is 25-19. In the Western Conference, they are 6th and 1st in the Southwest Division with a record of 26-18.
When it comes to scoring, the Pelicans are 12th in the NBA at 117.5 points per game. At home, they are averaging 117.6 points per game.
So far this season, New Orleans has outscored the NBA scoring average in 54.5% of their games. In terms of pace, they are 19th in the league at 98.3 possessions per game.
When it comes to field goal percentage, the Pelicans are 8th in the NBA at 48%. They are also 8th in true shooting percentage.
On defense, the Pelicans come into the game ranked 10th in the league in points allowed at 112.5 per game. Over their last three games, the team is allowing 119.7 points per contest (30th). When it comes to forced turnovers, the Pelicans are forcing 12.5 per game, which is 10th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 21st in blocked shots at 4.7 per game.