Game Time: 10:00 PM ET, Friday, April 15th, 2022 

Venue:   Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California

Where to Watch: TNT

DraftKings:  Spread: Clippers -4; O/U 216

Fanduel:  Spread:  Clippers -4; O/U 216

BetMGM:  Spread: Clippers -3.5;O/U 214.5

Pelicans: 36-46 on the season, 9th place Western Conference 

Clippers: 42-40 on the season, 8th place Western Conference

A Western Conference Play-In game finale’!  So much excitement this year for the Play-in tournament that has played out exactly as it was intended. To drum up excitement for the last place teams that make the Playoffs before they get eliminated.  The Pelicans won their first round Play-In tournament game over the San Antonio Spurs 113-103.  In the process they also beat the spread.  SG CJ McCollum is firmly installed as the Pelicans leader and it showed… whether he was hitting shots or dropping dimes to the Bigs… CJ was everywhere. PF Zion Williamson was nowhere except the lay-up line where he pulled off multiple 360* slam dunks… that is ultimately the problem.  The brain trust running the Pelicans are playing this offseason two ways… The Pelicans have a lot of young talent who can contend, but let’s not play the obviously healthy Zion because we don’t ever want to be really relevant.  The Clippers lost their first round Play-In game to the Minnesota Timberwolves and in the process exposed a secret.. The Timberwolves are not just the hottest team in the league since the New Year’s break… they are also loaded with talent.  The prognosticators will have Vegas dishing out small point spreads in the Timberwolves first round matchup with the Grizzlies.. No matter how silly that sounds.  The Clippers have only recently gotten SF Paul George and SG Norman Powell back form long injuries… and it showed.  The team was off-kilter. They carried a big lead into the 4th quarter and were helpless in the Timberwolves BIG comeback win.  Everyone knows that if SG Kawhi Leonard wanted to play he could… everyone knows that that would make this team a Finals contender given what they already have on the roster… it may not be the Clippers year… but it will be the Clippers game.

The New Orleans Pelicans have won 6 of their last 10 games including the Play-In game against the San Antonio Spurs which they won 113-103 and won ATS.  They went 5-5 ATS during the last ten games.  In the Spurs game SG CJ McCollum had 32 pts, 7 asts, and 6 rbs.  CJ is by far and away the best Pelican on planet earth. His addition at the trade deadline has made all the difference.  He plays at SG but is actually a hybrid of shooting and point guard. His #2, SF Brandon Ingram, pulled down 27pt, 5 ast, 5rb (way better than LeBron got out of AD… especially if you imagine Julius Randle and De”andre Hunter still on the team.. Cest La Vie). The team has an interesting cast of characters that contribute in significant ways… Undrafted rookie Point Guard Jose Alvarado was seemingly everywhere during the win, PF Herbert Jones, another rookie, who entered the league as a guard, was killing the game against San Antonio. Also the Pelicans have C Jonas Valanciunas who is almost great and plays as an almost great.  The Pelicans problem of course is they will need all those guys to do it again… against a much better defensive team.

The Los Angeles Clippers have won 6 of their last ten games.. Including the loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.  They went 5-5 ATS.  IN the Minnesota loss SF Paull George played his heart out nabbing 34 points, 7 asts, and 5 rbs… Nearly everyone else had a bad game.  The Final score was close… but not C Ivica Zubac only getting 7 points close.  The mind boggling moment of the night was Tye Lue’s decision to only play SG Terrance Mann 15 minutes.  Terrance had only 2 points… but 2 giant blocked shots 3 assists and 2 rebounds.  Terrance was everywhere and wasn’t allowed to break a sweat. If I were another team Terrance Mann would be my RFA target or my FA target.  PG Reggie Jacson had a bad game at the close.  The 4th quarter was a lot of former Clipper Patrick Beverley clowning Reggie Jackson.. That will not happen again.  The Pelicans have no one on the roster that can do what Patrick Beverley did to Reggie Jackson.

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The Pelicans are 37-46 on the season, but 41-40-1 ATS. They logged 32 Overs, 48 Unders, and 2 Push.  They are 17-24 in road games.

The Clippers are 42-41 on the season, but 41-41 ATS. They notched 38 Overs, 41 Unders, and 3 Push.  They are 25-16 in home games.

The Pelicans are 21st in scoring with 109.3 ppg, 11th in rebounds with 45.2 per game, and 16th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8.  On defense they rank 13th while allowing 110.3 ppg from opponents.

The Clippers are 23rd in scoring with 108.4 ppg, 19th in rebounds with 44 per game, and 16th in assists with 24 per game.  On defense they are pretty good.  They rely heavily on two way play from their skill positions.

Our prediction for Friday, April 15th is….. Clippers 123 - Pelicans 115

The Clippers are going to feel the difference between playing the Pelicans and the Timberwolves.  The whole court will open up. The Clipper will win and cover.

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New Orleans is 21-16 ATS versus the Clippers at Los Angeles since 1996.

3 of 4 games in this series played in Los Angeles have gone Over the last 3 seasons.

The Clipper are 96-86 ATS as a favorite the last 3 seasons.

Pelicans: PF Zion Williamson (knee) Out ** PG Kira lewis Jr (knee) Out

Clippers: SG Kawhi Leonard (knee) Out… BTW Kawhi is the worst FA signing of the last decade.. It is not close. He costs 40+ million a season… he does not play… and will not if he does not want to… and he forced the team to make a roster gutting move when they acquired him to get a running mate.  This team has managed to survive with a few pieces and they should write off Kawhi as a loss immediately and move on.

Pelicans: PG CJ McCollum, SG Brandon Ingram, SF Herbert Jones, PF Kaxson Hayes, C Jonas Valanciunas

Clippers: C Ivica Zubac, SF Paule George, PF Marcus Morris SR, SG Josh Powell, PG Reggie Jackson

Pelicans: Willie Green

Clippers Tye Lue