New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Preview
Game three of this first-round Western Conference series between the Thunder and Pelicans is set for 3:30 PM ET at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Oklahoma City leads the series 2-0 and is the slight favorite on the road, with the line currently sitting at Thunder -1. The over/under line is 208 points, and the money line odds are Thunder -115 and Pelicans -106. TNT is carrying the game on TV.
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Head-to-Head and Key Stats
The last three times that the Thunder have faced off vs. the Pelicans as the favorite, they have gone 3-0. Against the spread, the Thunder have gone 2-1 vs. the spread in their last three games vs. the Pelicans. Also, the Thunder have gone a perfect 3-0 in the last three times they were on the road vs. the Pelicans.
- In their last three games away from home, the Thunder have a straight up record of 1-2 while going 0-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 111 points per game in this stretch.
- When looking at their past five home matchups, New Orleans has an ATS record of 3-2 while averaging 108 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
- Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, New Orleans has an ATS mark of 6-4 while going 5-5 straight up.
- Oklahoma City has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-0 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last three games.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction
The Thunder picked up a 124-92 win over the Pelicans in the most recent game of this series. Oklahoma City was favored by 7.5 points and easily covered the spread. The Thunder got off to a fast start and outscored the Pelicans 32-18 in the 4th quarter. Going into the game, the over/under line was 210.5 points, and the teams combined for 216 points.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a big game for the Thunder, scoring 33 points and knocking down 60% of his threes. Chet Holmgren was the second-leading scorer for the Thunder with 26 points. As a team, Oklahoma City shot 59% from the field and made 14 threes. The Pelicans made just seven threes and shot 26.9% from beyond the arc.
Today, the Thunder are favored by 1 point on the road against the Pelicans. This season, Oklahoma City has been favored in 63 of their 82 games and has gone 49-14 in those games. As the favorite, they have won 8 straight games and have a scoring margin of +10.6 points per game.
Oklahoma City’s ATS record as the favorite is 36-27, with an average scoring differential of +13.1 points per game at home and +1.9 points per game on the road. As the favorite on the road, they are 20-21 ATS.
The Thunder’s O/U record for the season is 45-38-1, and their games have averaged a combined 232 points. Today’s O/U line of 208 is lower than all of their previous games this season.
In their last game against the Pelicans, the Thunder won by a score of 124-92. They were favored by 7.5 points in that game and easily covered the spread. The O/U line for that game was 210.5.
Oklahoma City’s win over the Pelicans improved their overall record to 57-25, which is currently the best in the Western Conference. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 36-16 and 12-4 against teams in their division.
Offensively, the Thunder are averaging 120.1 points per game, which is the 3rd best mark in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 122.5 points per contest. This is the 2nd best mark in the league. Oklahoma City has also been one of the most efficient shooting teams in the league, connecting on 49% of their field goal attempts, which is the 2nd best mark in the league.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 25 points per game over his last five games on a field goal percentage of 49.5%. In these games, he also averaged 4.6 assists and 4.6 rebounds. For the season, he is averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.5 rebounds. Chet Holmgren is averaging 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds for the season.
On the season, the Thunder are allowing 112.2 points per game, which is 11th in the NBA. When playing on the road, they are giving up 115.2 points per game, which is 15th in the league.
Over their last five games, the Thunder have been the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing just 93.2 points per contest. During this stretch, they have also been excellent at defending the three-point line, giving up just 27% shooting from beyond the arc.
For the season, the Thunder are 3rd in the NBA in field goal percentage allowed at 45.5%. They are also 2nd in the league in blocked shots at 6.6 per game and 1st in steals at 8.5 per game.
In their last game, the Pelicans lost to the Thunder by a score of 124-92. The O/U line for that game was 210.5 points, and New Orleans was getting 7.5 points as the underdog.
As the underdog, the Pelicans have gone 18-16 this season. They are currently 1-point underdogs for today’s game and have gone 2-2 as the underdog in their last four games.
In terms of their ATS record, the Pelicans are 21-21 at home and 24-19 on the road. Overall, they are 45-40 ATS this season.
New Orleans is 8th in the Western Conference with a record of 49-33. Against other Western Conference teams, they are 30-22 and 9-7 against their division. In non-conference games, the Pelicans are 19-11.
This season, the Pelicans have averaged a scoring differential of +3.4 points per game at home and +4.3 points per game on the road. Their games have averaged a combined 224.8 points per game.
On the season, the Pelicans have an O/U record of 38-48. Today’s O/U line of 208 is lower than 84 of their previous games. In games with higher O/U lines than 208, they have gone 1-1.
This season, the Pelicans are 16th in scoring at 115.1 points per game. They have been slightly better at home, averaging 114.4 points per contest on their home floor. Looking at their team shooting percentage, the Pelicans are 10th in the league, at 48%. New Orleans is also 10th in true shooting percentage.
Brandon Ingram is averaging 15.6 points per game over his last five games on a shooting percentage of 44.1%. In these games, he also averaged 3.2 assists and 5 rebounds. For the season, Ingram is averaging 20.8 points, 5.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. Trey Murphy III is averaging 4.8 rebounds in his last five games and 13.6 points.
When playing at home this season, the Pelicans have given up 111.1 points per game, which is 12th in the NBA. Overall, they are 8th in the NBA, allowing 110.5 points per game. In their last five games, they have given up 110 points per game, which is 14th in the league during that stretch.
One area where New Orleans has been strong defensively is in steals, as they are 3rd in the NBA at 8.3 steals per game. However, they have struggled to block shots this season, ranking 22nd in the league in that category.
Opponents have shot 46.4% from the field against the Pelicans this season, which is 6th in the NBA. They have also been solid at defending the three-point line, allowing opponents to shoot 35.0% from beyond the arc.
Based on our analysis, we foresee the Thunder winning the game with a predicted score of 118-112.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Tips
- Take the Thunder on the moneyline
- The Thunder should also cover at -1
- Projecting a combined 230 points, we like the over
New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report
- Zion Williamson – Hamstring – Out
Oklahoma City Thunder Injury Report
No Injuries Reported
