Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 12/5/24

The Pelicans will host the Suns at the Smoothie King Center in a Western Conference matchup. New Orleans is currently on a nine-game losing streak and is 15th in the West. Phoenix is 12-8 and has won two straight games. The Suns are favored by 1.5 points and have a moneyline of -123.

This game will tip-off at 8:00 ET and can be seen on Gulf TV.

PHOENIX SUNS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +1.5

This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, December 5th.

WHY BET THE NEW ORLEANS PELICANS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 125-106 in favor of the Pelicans.
• Our projections have Dejounte Murray finishing with 22 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists.
• From the field, we have the Pelicans finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.1% and knocking down 15 threes.

Will Phoenix Find a Way to Win on the Road?

With a 104-93 win over the Spurs on Tuesday, the Suns improved to 12-8 this season. Playing at home, Phoenix entered the game as 7-point favorites and covered the spread. The game’s total score of 197 points fell well short of the 229-point over/under line.

Phoenix started strong with an 11-0 run and led 29-19 after the 1st quarter. They extended their lead in the 2nd quarter, but the Spurs fought back in the 3rd, outscoring the Suns 32-23. Phoenix regrouped in the 4th, winning the quarter 29-22 to secure the victory.

Devin Booker led the Suns to a win over the Spurs, scoring 29 points and adding 9 rebounds and 5 assists. He hit 4 threes at a 40% clip, and added 12 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters. Tyus Jones contributed 16 points, with 7 coming in the 2nd quarter, while Kevin Durant added 10 of his 13 points in the 2nd.

The Suns shot 48.7% from the field, but made just 11 threes at 34.4%. Durant hit both of his attempts from deep, and Jones connected on 2 of 4. Booker also added 5 points in the 3rd quarter.

The Suns’ defense was strong on Tuesday, holding the Spurs to just 93 points. They gave up 19 points in the 1st quarter and 20 in the 2nd, with a tougher 3rd quarter allowing 32 points. However, they tightened up in the 4th, giving up only 22 points.

Phoenix held San Antonio to 35% shooting, including just 8 made threes on 18% shooting. The Spurs went 15/20 from the line. The Suns grabbed 42 defensive rebounds but allowed 18 offensive boards. They also recorded 10 steals and 5 blocks.

Will the Pelicans Win at Smoothie King Center?

The Pelicans fell to 4-18 on the season after a 124-112 loss to the Hawks on Monday. New Orleans, who entered the game as +9.5 point underdogs, failed to cover the spread in the loss. The game’s total score of 236 points went over the pre-game line of 231.5.

Atlanta took control early with a 10-0 run, extending their lead from 11-8 to 18-11. The Pelicans kept things close, trailing 92-85 heading into the 4th quarter, but the Hawks outscored them 32-27 in the final period to seal the win.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 29 points in their loss to the Hawks, adding 9 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters. Yves Missi contributed 23 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 78.6% from the field, while Brandon Boston added 19 points, 10 of which came in the 2nd quarter.

New Orleans struggled from beyond the arc, hitting 31% of their threes, though they made 13 overall. Their field goal percentage was 44% for the game.

Defensively, the Pelicans struggled against the Hawks, giving up 124 points on 51% shooting. Their toughest stretch came in the 3rd quarter, where they allowed 34 points. New Orleans also gave up 32 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters.

One bright spot for the Pelicans was their perimeter defense, as they held the Hawks to just 10 made threes on 26% shooting. New Orleans also recorded 15 steals and 5 blocks in the game.