NBA: New Orleans Pelicans VS Phoenix Suns Pick and Predictions 12/17/2022

Game: 9:10 PM ET,  Saturday, December 17th, 2022

Venue: Footprint Center, Glendale, Arizona

TV:  NBA TV

Pelicans: 18-10, 2nd place Western Conference

Suns: 17-12, 4th place Western Conference

An all-out NBA Western Conference battle between teams with all-star level stars and deep rosters.  This is also one of the few regular season matchups where either of these teams could conceivably be the winner of the Western Conference and Finals competitors.  The New Orleans Pelicans have an NBA candidate… it took 4 long years of holding their breath and crossing their fingers over MRIs and x-rays… 4 long years of waiting for multiple rehabs to be completed… but finally PF Zion Williamson is not only playing… but he is by far the most efficient offensive player in the NBA.  His double-double is as automatic as an In & Out drive thru.  The man (he’s grown) seems to own every defender (even the good ones) that try to stop him.  It comes in dunks, in layups, in drives, in short jumpers… so it is not surprising that Zion often puts up FG totals that read 9 of 11 or 10 of 12… plus some free throws.  Plus tons of rebounds.  Zion is a legit MVP candidate and like everything else that has hampered his ascension to best player in the NBA status.. All it requires is an extended period of health. The Phoenix Suns do not have an MVP candidate… They still have a monstrously deep roster complete with a powerful starting five… but the dependence on SG Devin Booker to have a good shooting game is becoming more and more obvious.  Devin is a good shooter… but when the misses come they tend to be too many for the Suns to handle.  Two players in the NBA most resemble Kobe Bryant… They are Celtics SF Jayson Tatum and Suns SG Devin Booker… At the moment Tatum is doing the better impression.  The Suns are still loaded at every position… They just aren’t quite what they were last season (yet).

The New Orleans Pelicans got smacked with back to back losses to the Utah Jazz.  Those losses killed a 7-game losing streak.  Those losses also showed how the Pelicans are vulnerable at the Small Forward spot until SF Brandon Ingram makes it back from an injury to his toe.  Utah “all-star in the making” Lauri Markkanen had back to back great games while not having to play the sort of defense he would have if Ingram was dressed and playing.  In their last loss to Utah, a 132-129 overtime grind… Zion had 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. He was supported by 28 points from SG CJ McCollum.  It was a tough slog and the back to back losses kept the team out of 1st place in the West, at least for now.

The Phoenix Suns snapped a 5-game losing streak with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers 111-95… during that losing streak they lost to the New Orleans Pelicans TWICE.. Both of them losses ATS.  The spread should grow as a result.  The reason the Suns do not match up well with the Pelicans well… is the same reason that the Pelicans do not matchup against the Jazz well. The current hole in the Suns lineup just so happens to be where the Pelicans have their best player…. At Power Forward the Suns start Torrey Craig… and they have yet to trade last season’s starter Jae Crowder who doesn't suit up for them.  Add to that hole will be Center Deandre Ayton missing this coming game with a sprained ankle. The Suns will have very little defense for Zion Williamson other than to have a great 3-point shooting game.  Will they?

BetMGM:  Point Spread: Suns -3.5, O/U 228

PointsBet: Point Spread: Suns -3, O/U 227.5

Fanduel: Point Spread: Suns -3, O/U 227.5

Pelicans: PF Zion Williamson, SF Trey Murphy Jr, C Jonas Valanciunas, SG CJ MCCollum, PG Herbert Jones

Suns: PF Torrey Craig, SF Mikal Bridges, C Bismack Biyombo, SG Devin Booker, PG Chris Paul

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The Pelicans are 4th in scoring with 117.4 points per game, 7th in rebounds with 45.2 per game, 6th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8, and 21st in blocks with 4.5 per game.

The Suns are 10th in scoring with 115.3 points per game, 13th in rebounds with 43.5 per game, 1st in AST/TO ratio with 2.0, and 6th in blocked shots with 5.6 per game.

Our prediction for Saturday, December 17th is…. Pelicans 123 - Suns 110

Bet on the Pelicans.  The home court advantage means nothing if Deandre Ayton is not going to play for the Suns.  Plus the line will move in the Pelicans direction once that is aware to everyone.  Bet on the Pelicans as quickly as you can.

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The Pelicans are 48-37 ATS versus the Suns since 1996.

Phoenix is 5-2 ATS versus the Pelicans at Phoenix the last 3 seasons.

5 of 7 of these games have gone UNDER the last 3 seasons.

Pelicans: PF Zion Williamson.  Zion is the current best player to watch in the NBA.  He is the most fun.  His athleticism and efficiency are undeniable.  He can’t cure everything the Pelicans need (Ingram… plus trading Kira Lewis JR and Jaxson Hayes)... but he provides enough every game to make your eyes pop at this team’s potential. 

Suns:  Bismack Biyombo… seriously when are you going to see this guy again once Deandre Ayton comes back from his twisted ankle? Bismack was not built to be a starter.  You will get to see the fun of size and athleticism… coupled with the awkwardness of un-coordination and poor court vision.

Pelicans: Willie “how you like me now?” Green

Suns: Monty “all class” Williams