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The Pelicans visit the Thunder on Wednesday! The Thunder have been great to start the year, while the Pelicans have struggled to open the year. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Pelicans-Thunder prediction and pick.
The Pelicans have talent and could be a surprise team this year. They made some noise last year but were sidetracked by injuries. It will come down to Brandon Ingram, CJ McCollum, and Zion Williamson and what those three can do to carry New Orleans this year. They have a lot of potential this season, but they have been dealing with injuries already.
The Thunder have looked great this season. Thanks to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren, they were the best team at the Western Conference last year and are primed to be just as good this year. They are great and should have a massive year, even with Chet Holmgren getting injured in his last game.
Here are the Pelicans-Thunder NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pelicans-Thunder Odds
New Orleans Pelicans: +14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +750
Oklahoma City Thunder: -14.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -1200
Over: 225.5 (-110)
Under: 225.5 (-110)
How To Watch Pelicans vs. Thunder
Time: 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT
TV: ESPN/FanDuel Sports Network Southwest
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Pelicans Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Pelican's offense was solid last season. They were 13th in scoring at 115.1 points per game, ninth in field goal percentage at 48.6% from the field, and fourth in three-point shooting at 38.3% from behind the arc. Eight Pelican players are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Brandon Ingram leading at 22.9 points per game. Ingram also leads the way in assists at five per game. CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Zion Williamson are the keys for the team on offense this season. CJ McCollum and Zion Williamson are both out so Brandon Ingram will be the big key in the game against the Thunder.
The Pelican's defense was great last season. They allowed 110.7 points per game, 46.4% from the field, and they were second against the three-point line, allowing 34.9% from behind the arc. Zion Williamson is the team's best rebounder, with 8 per game, but with him out Ingram is the best with 5.9 per game. Then, four players hit at least one block per game, with Trey Murphy III leading at two per game. Finally, six players average at least one steal per game.
Why the Thunder Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Thunder were great on offense last year. They were third in scoring at 120.1 points per game, third in field goal percentage at 49.9%, and first in three-point percentage at 38.9%. Five different Thunder players are averaging over double digits in scoring, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander being a standout with 27.8 points, and he picked up where he left off last season because he averaged 30.1 per game. Gilgeous-Alexander also leads the way in assists at 6.5 per game this season. Gilgeous-Alexander is the engine that makes this team go, but Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are great players in their own right and will be key on offense all season, even with Holmgren's recent injury.
The Thunder's defense was great last year. They were 11th in scoring defense at 112.7 points per game, third in field goal defense at 45.5%, and 12th in three-point defense at 36.1%. Chet Holmgren is key for this team down low on defense because he leads the team in rebounds at 8.7 and in blocks at 2.6. He has been huge, and with him injured, it will be on Jalen Williams to lead in rebounding at 6.4 per game. Then, in blocks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be big at 1.1 per game. Then, five players are averaging at least one steal per game, with Williams leading at 1.9 per game. This defense looks ready to take that next step this season and push this team over the top.
Final Pelicans-Thunder Prediction & Pick
The Pelicans are limping into this game, while the Thunder are also injured, but not as much. Expect the Thunder to win and cover easily in this game at home. That is the difference for Oklahoma City. This game might be close at first, but the Thunder are just better, so expect a big Thunder win and cover where they start a new winning streak.
Final Pelicans-Thunder Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -14.5 (-110)
