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Buckle up basketball fans for the final stretch of the regular season! With the utmost of postseason implications on the line, the New Orleans Pelicans will look to further stamp their case to the conference's six-seed when they take on the Golden State Warriors in the Bay Area. It is about that time to check out our NBA odds series, where our Pelicans-Warriors prediction and pick will be unveiled.
For New Orleans, they have managed to reel off two gigantic wins in a row after it was the ‘Pels that were in the midst of a four-game losing streak not too long ago. Before the showdown with Golden State on Friday, New Orleans will find themselves occupied with the Sacramento Kings one night prior. All together, New Orleans enters their final three games of the season with everything on the line. As it stands, the Pelicans own a 47-32 record which puts them a half-game up on the Phoenix Suns for the sixth-place spot.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are catching fire at the most ideal of times. After earning themselves an impressive victory over the LA Lakers, Golden State now trails their California counterparts from the south by only a half-game for the ninth-place spot in the Play-In Tournament. All together, Golden State has lost just once in their last nine games and are certainly clicking on all cylinders heading into the postseason. Despite being in the tenth and final playoff spot, the Warriors would love to surpass the Lakers in order to receive home-court advantage during the 9th-10th place game. Then again, the Warriors are only one game behind the Sacramento Kings for the 8th-place slot as well.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pelicans-Warriors Odds
New Orleans Pelicans: +4 (-108)
Moneyline: +146
Golden State Warriors: -4 (-112)
Moneyline: -174
Over: 220 (-110)
Under: 220 (-110)
How to Watch Pelicans vs. Warriors
Time: 10:00 ET/7:00 PT
TV: NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread/Win
Throughout the years, the Pelicans' biggest culprit has been their inability to stay healthy for an extended amount of time. However, that narrative has finally changed in “The Big Easy” as New Orleans has been able to avoid any devastating setbacks. While star forward Brandon Ingram is dealing with a knee ailment that has sidelined him since the end of March, he is expected to be back for postseason play.
Meanwhile, despite facing scrutiny for his lackadaisical play, lack of three-point shot, and poor durability, Zion Williamson is finally proving his doubters wrong. While he may not ever live up to the impossible hype that was hanging over his head coming out of college, he has slowly transformed into an athletic freak of nature. When dribbling at full speed in his pursuit to the rim, he is close to unstoppable. Fresh off of scoring at least 25 points in three of his last five games, Williamson could very well be taking that next step into becoming a bonafide star in this league.
Most importantly, New Orleans is doing a phenomenal job in taking care of the basketball and also forcing giveaways defensively. In their last outing versus the Portland Trail Blazers, the ‘Pels managed to force a whopping 22 turnovers and also translated those opportunities into a surplus of points. At the end of the day, dominating in this category could be all she wrote.
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread/Win
On paper, the Warriors have been on a downward spiral the last couple of seasons since winning the NBA title in 2022, the “Splash Bro's” still strike fear in every opponent they go up against.
Look no further than the three-ball in which Golden State could not miss in their ginormous victory over the LA Lakers earlier this week, the Warriors scored 134 points in large part due to sinking a total of 26 three-pointers from beyond the arc. Bafflingly enough, Golden State shot an unfathomable 63% from way downtown. While it is close to impossible that the Warriors will be able to replicate this performance for the second-straight contest, never doubt Golden State's impeccable shooting nature from the hardwood.
In addition to shooting the Pelicans out of the gym, the Warriors boast a 25-13 record against the spread on their home floor. Not to mention, but they have looked like the vintage Warriors of old during the course of their last five games combined.
Final Pelicans-Warriors Prediction & Pick
Without a doubt, this matchup will have the feel of a playoff atmosphere from the opening tip to the very last buzzer. Ultimately, Golden State is playing better basketball at the moment, and having their home fans back them up will prove to be a pretty big deal. Take the Warriors to cover the spread and take care of business.
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Final Pelicans-Warriors Prediction & Pick: Warriors -4 (-112)
