Pelicans vs. Thunder NBA Play-In Tournament Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Wednesday, April 12, 2023

CJ McCollum and the New Orleans Pelicans (42-40) will look to fend off Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder (40-42) on April 12, 2023. The Pelicans are a 5.5-point favorite. A 226.5-point over/under is set for the matchup.

Pelicans vs. Thunder Odds

• Pelicans odds to win: -221
• Thunder odds to win: +183
• Spread: Pelicans (-5.5)
• Total: 226.5

Pelicans vs. Thunder Promo Codes

Game Time and Information

• When: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 at 9:30 PM ET
• Where: Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana
• TV: ESPN

Who Will Win Pelicans vs. Thunder?

Pelicans and Thunder Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

In games they have played as at least 5.5-point favorites this season, the Pelicans are 13-8-1 against the spread.

In games this season in which they were an underdog by 5.5 points or more, the Thunder have a 16-9-1 record against the spread.

The two teams average a combined 5.4 more points per game, 231.9, than this matchup’s over/under of 226.5 points.

New Orleans and Oklahoma City have seen its opponents average a combined 2.4 more points per game than the point total of 226.5 set in this outing.

The average point total in Pelicans games this year is 0.3 more points than the total of 226.5 in this matchup.

Oklahoma City’s games this season have averaged an over/under of 233.9 points, 7.4 more than the point total in this matchup.

New Orleans is 39-41-2 against the spread this season.

So far this season, the Thunder have put together a 47-34-1 record against the spread.

Pelicans Stats & Insights

The Pelicans average 114.4 points per game (15th in the league) while giving up 112.5 per outing (eighth in the NBA). They have a +155 scoring differential overall and outscore opponents by 1.9 points per game.

The Pelicans are 12th in the NBA at 43.7 rebounds per game. That’s 1.9 more than the 41.8 their opponents average.

New Orleans knocks down 11.0 three-pointers per game (23rd in the league) at a 36.4% rate (15th in the NBA), compared to the 12.2 per outing its opponents make while shooting 33.9% from beyond the arc.

The Pelicans rank 19th in the league by averaging 111.8 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively are sixth in the NBA, allowing 109.9 points per 100 possessions.

In 2022-23, the Pelicans’ offense has been slightly better at home, where they score 114.9 points per game, compared to on the road, where they record 113.8 per game. On the defensive side of the ball, they have been much tougher at home, where they allow 109.9 points per game, versus road games, where they let opponents to score 115.0 per game.

Thunder Stats & Insights

The Thunder outscore opponents by 1.1 points per game (posting 117.5 points per game, fifth in league, and giving up 116.4 per contest, 19th in NBA) and have a +89 scoring differential.

The 43.7 rebounds per game Oklahoma City accumulates rank 12th in the league, 2.9 fewer than the 46.6 its opponents collect.

The Thunder knock down 12.1 three-pointers per game (15th in the league), while their opponents have made 12.9 on average.

The Thunder rank 14th in the NBA with 112.3 points scored per 100 possessions, and 11th defensively with 111.4 points conceded per 100 possessions.

At home Oklahoma City is putting up 120.8 points per game, 6.7 more than it is averaging on the road (114.1).

Pelicans Key Players to Watch

The active leader in points and assists for the Pelicans this season is McCollum, who scores 20.9 points and dishes out 5.7 assists per game.

Jonas Valanciunas’ averages this season are 14.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

McCollum makes more threes per game than any other (active) member of the Pelicans, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 2.8 per contest.

Herbert Jones picks pockets to the tune of 1.6 takeaways per game, and Valanciunas compiles 0.7 rejections per contest.

Thunder Key Players to Watch

Josh Giddey racks up 7.9 rebounds per game and 6.2 assists per game to go with the 16.6 points he pours in a contest.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s per-game averages this season are 31.4 points, 5.5 assists and 4.8 rebounds.

Isaiah Joe hits 2.2 threes per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander’s 1.6 steals and 1.0 block per game are vital to the Thunder’s defensive effort.

Pelicans vs. Thunder Prediction

• Pick ATS: Thunder (+ 5.5)
• Pick OU:

  Over (226.5)
  

• Prediction:
  Pelicans 117 – Thunder 114

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