New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/21/2024

Game Time: 9:30 pm ET, Sunday, April 24, 2024

Venue:  Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK 

Where to Watch:  TNT, MAX

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Pelicans +8.5, Thunder -8.5; Over/Under:  214.5 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Pelicans +8.5, Thunder -8.5; Over/Under:  214.5 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Pelicans +8.5, Thunder -8.5; Over/Under:  214.5 points

New Orleans Pelicans:  49-33 (2nd place, Southwest Division)

Oklahoma City Thunder:  57-25 (1st place, Northwest Division)

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New Orleans Pelicans:  5-5 last 10

Oklahoma City Thunder:  7-3 last 10

The Pelicans are entering this game with a 49-33 record overall to finish the regular season and they were 28-14 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Sacramento Kings in their last game. Brandon Ingram led the team in points in that game with 24 while Jonas Valančiūnas was next on the team with 19 points. Trey Murphy III and Brandon Ingram each led the team in assists in that game with 6 while Jonas Valančiūnas led the team in rebounds with 12. They were 51.8% from the field, 36.8% from 3-point range, and 76.9% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 115.1 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 110.7 PPG against them. The Pelicans have an ATS record of 45-38-1 this season and their O/U record is 36-47-1.

The Thunder are entering this game with a 57-25 record overall to finish the regular season and they were 33-8 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 5 game winning streak with wins coming against the Charlotte Hornets, the Sacramento Kings, the San Antonio Spurs, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Dallas Mavericks in their last game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team in points in that game with 15 while Aaron Wiggins was next on the team with 14 points. Josh Giddey led the team in assists in that game with 8 while Chet Holmgren led the team in rebounds with 9. They were 55.7% from the field, 41.2% from 3-point range, and 81.3% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 120.1 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 112.7 PPG against them. The Thunder have an ATS record of 46-35-1 this season and their O/U record is 44-35-3.

The current betting odds have the Pelicans listed as an 8.5 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 1 of a 7 game series between the 1st seeded Thunder and the 8th seeded Pelicans for Round 1 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs. The Pelicans have looked really good in their games this season with their 49-33 record overall which was enough to get them into the play-in games. They lost their 1st play-in game against the Lakers, losing out on the 7th seed, but they beat the Kings on Friday to earn this 8th seed. The Pelicans have also looked really good in their road games this year with their 28-14 road record, being a better team in road games this season than they were in their home games. Meanwhile, the Thunder have looked really good in their games this season with their 57-25 record overall which won them the number 1 seed in the West with one of the best records in the entire NBA. They also looked great on their home court all year with their 33-8 home record. The Thunder have looked great all season and they were really hot coming into the playoffs, going 7-3 in their last 10 games and entering this series with a ton of momentum from 5 wins in a row, but being off for an entire week could leave them feeling a bit rusty and this is a really large number for them to cover. The Pelicans are one of the best road teams in the NBA and they have had to play 2 games this week just to make the playoffs so they are going to be ready to go in this game 1 on the road. The best way to place a bet here is on the Pelicans to cover the spread in this game.

Pelicans Thunder Prediction:  Our NBA Pick for Sunday, April 24, 2024 (9:30 pm ET start time) is Thunder 128 Pelicans 124.

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New Orleans Pelicans: 10-18 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points. 1-7 ATS after a game where both teams scored 105 points or less. 2-10 ATS after a combined score of 205 points or less. 29-15 UNDER after a game where they covered the spread. 23-17 UNDER in road games.

Oklahoma City Thunder: 22-12 ATS as a home favorite. 20-11 ATS after a win by 10 points or more. 27-18 ATS after a game where they covered the spread. 14-7 UNDER after allowing 105 points or less. 9-2 UNDER after 2 straight covers as a double digit favorite. 7-2 UNDER as a home favorite of 6.5 to 12 points.

New Orleans Pelicans:  Z. Williamson (PF) Early May - Hamstring.

Oklahoma City Thunder:  None.

“It feels good. This was a goal at the beginning of the year. We had another opportunity today and we came in and everybody contributed.” - Brandon Ingram after their win against the Kings in their game on Friday in the NBA play-in tournament for the playoffs in the West.

“Nothing’s guaranteed in any year, so, to be a postseason team, to be a one seed — we don’t take that for granted at all. We’re incredibly excited. And now it’s just a matter of letting it rip with that opportunity.” - Mark Daigneault after his team’s win against the Mavericks in their last game of the regular season on Sunday.

PG CJ McCollum

SG Brandon Ingram

SF Trey Murphy III

PF Herbert Jones

C Jonas Valanciunas

PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

SG Josh Giddey

SF Luguentz Dort

PF Jalen Williams

C Chet Holmgren

PPG: Z. Williamson (22.9)

APG: B. Ingram (5.7)

Reb/G: J. Valanciunas (8.8)

PPG: S. Gilgeous-Alexander (30.1)

APG: S. Gilgeous-Alexander (6.2)

Reb/G: C. Holmgren (7.9)

Coaches:

New Orleans Pelicans: Willie Green (3rd season)

Oklahoma City Thunder: Mark Daigneault (4th season)