Game Time: 9:00 PM ET, Friday, February 25th, 2022 

Venue: Footprint Center, Phoenix, Arizona

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass

DraftKings:  Spread: Suns -8.5; O/U 

BetMGM:  Spread:  

VegasInsider:  Spread: 

WynnBet: Spread:  

Pelicans: 23-36, 12th place Western Conference

Suns: 48-10, 1st place Western Conference

A Western Conference matchup of the Haves and the Have Nots.  The Pelicans desperately have not.  No matter what they do year after year the Pelicans don’t get it right.  They trade PF Anthony Davis a “top-five” player for a whole team of replacements and they draft PF Zion Williamson.  They then have no respect for the replacements and let several of them walk for nothing… also Zion Williamson became absolutely nothing.  If he doesn’t get on the court by the end of the season… he simply is Greg Oden.  It’s an absolutely busted pick.  He could come back healthy next year but he will want an extension and a trade… and he will get hurt again whether he stays or he goes.  The Pelicans lost that draft.  The Memphis Grizzlies won that draft.  Recently the Pelicans traded for CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers… they were right to do it… CJ is a scorer and a kind of winner… the problem is that Zion is still in the mix.  Going forward the team needs to build around CJ, Ingram, and nothing else.  All else should go to avoid being a victim.   The Phoenix Suns are the best team in basketball.  They have a combination of the best young stars in SG Devin Booker, C Deandre Ayton, and two-way player SF Mikal Bridges… that is a winning combination.  Until last week that winning combination has been led by Point GOD Chris Paul.  Only CP3 broke his thumb and needed surgery.  He will be out 6-8 weeks. The Suns will be without their “top of the league” floor general.  They may lose some games in the short term… but will be fine come playoff time.  The Pelicans are very little match for the Suns even without Chris Paul.

The New Orleans Pelicans have won 5 of their last 10 games.  5 of 10 is actually a great ten game stretch for the Pelicans.  They went 6-4 ATS during that stretch.  Trading for CJ McCollum has done nothing for their ability to win games… They won 5 straight games before he got there and won 1 of 5 with him. In his short time with the team, CJ McCollum leads them in points and assists…. Pointing out that CJ is a good player… and that the Pelicans have very little else on the roster.  C Jonas Valanciunas leads the team in rebounds and blocks 11.5, 0.9… but we can’t actually figure out if he is worth the salary ?.. since there are absolutely no other quality big men on the roster.  The bench for the Pelicans feels like a rerun of a bad sitcom… Tony Snell, DeVonte Graham, Garrett Temple?... That is a literal recitation of players that were given up on by other teams because they never stepped up.

The Phoenix Suns are on a 7-game winning streak.  They have won 9 of their last ten games.  They went 5-5 ATS during that stretch… meaning even when a team pushes them, the Suns still win.  The one and only team to beat them over the last ten was the Atlanta Hawks in a game that the Hawks played their hearts out and the Suns were off.  Leading scorer Devin Booker will miss PG Chris Paul for sure… but this team is deep.  This team can win without CP3 and keep the engine warm for his playoff return.  They also have plenty of guard talent… even if it is only guard talent that needs short bursts.

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The Suns are 48-10 on the season, but 32-26 ATS.  They have logged 28 Overs, 29 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are a dominant 27-5 in home games… but then again they are dominant in all games.

The Pelicans are 23-36 on the season, but 32-26 ATS.  They have logged 23 Overs, 34 Unders, and 2 Push. They are a terrible road unit at only 10-19

Our prediction for Friday, February 25th is….  Suns 118 - Pelicans 101

The Suns will not sweat the Pelicans,,, not at all.  Yes, they will be missing Chris paul… but the Suns backups are better than the Pelicans starters at the PG spot.  

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The Pelicans are 29 Over and 15 Under versus good shooting teams the last 3 seasons.

The Suns are 39 Over and 21 Under versus poor defensive teams last 2 seasons.

Phoenix is 87-62 ATS in all games the last 2 seasons.

Phoenix is 73-51 ATS as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.

Pelicans: PF Larry Nance Jr (knee) Out ** PG Kira Lewis Jr (knee) out for season ** PF Zion Williamson (foot) will not again play for the Pelicans.

Suns: PG Cameron Payne (wrist) Out ** SG Landry Shamet (ankle) Prob ** PG Chris Paul (thumb) Out ** SF Dario Saric (knee) Has missed entire season ** PF Frank Kamisky (knee) Out

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

Suns: SF Mikal Bridges, PF Jae Crowder, C Deandre Ayton, SG Devin Booker, PG Elfrid Payton

Pelicans

Points: CJ McCollum 28.4

Assists: CJ McCollum 5.4

Rebounds: Jonas Valanciunas 11.5

Steals: Herbert Jones 1.4

Blocks: Jonas Valanciunas 0.9

Suns

Points: Devin Booker 25.5

Assists: Chris Paul 10.7

Rebounds: Deandre Ayton 10.3

Steals: Chris Paul 1.9

Blocks: JaVale McGee 1.0

Pelicans: Willie Green

Suns: Monty Williams