The NBA season is in full swing and games will continue on Friday. The Sacramento Kings will hit the road to take on the New Orleans Pelicans. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Kings-Pelicans prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have had less than ideal starts to the season. The Kings are 2-2, but have had a tough schedule and are coming off a big win. The Pelicans are 1-4 and coming off a close loss in their last game. This game should be a good one.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for the Kings-Pelicans Friday matchup.
NBA Odds: Kings-Pelicans Odds
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Sacramento Kings: -1.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 221 (-110)
Under: 221 (-110)
Why The Kings Could Cover The Spread
The Sacramento Kings are a good team. Their record may not make them stand out, but the Kings have a had a tough schedule through four games and have been competitive with some of the league's best. Sacramento is coming off a win in a very close game against Phoenix. In that game the Kings looked like they were really coming together and playing solid basketball. They will look to carry that momentum into this game against New Orleans.
The leader of this Kings team is De'Aron Fox. Fox had an okay outing against the Suns, putting up 18 points and 9 assists. But he has been somewhat underwhelming this season. The fifth year guard will look to turn things around in this matchup with New Orleans. If he is able to get going and set the pace for Sacramento, then the Kings could pull ahead in this one.
Another bright spot in this Kings team has been Harrison Barnes. Barnes has been a game changer for Sacramento. He's having by far the best season of his career. He is coming off a 22 point and 9 rebound game. Barnes has been averaging nearly 27 points and 10 rebounds a game. If he can continue to pick up the slack and impact games the way he has been then the Kings are in good shape. If Sacramento can pull together as a team then they should be able to take care of the Pelicans.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
New Orleans only has one win this season, but are coming off a very competitive game against Atlanta. The Hawks are a good team and New Orleans showed that they could keep pace. It has been a tough start without their star, Zion Williamson, but the Pelicans will look to turn things around on Friday. If some of the bench players can step up and support the starters then New Orleans is capable of taking down Sacramento.
Without Zion there is one man who leads this team, Brandon Ingram. Ingram has cemented himself as one of the leagues top players. He is capable of scoring from anywhere on the court and forces defenses to adapt to him. This opens up the offense for all of his teammates and elevates the play of the team as a whole. Ingram is having his best season so far and has been a difference maker in games. BI is the main factor that keeps New Orleans in games and if he goes off on Friday the Kings will struggle.
Another impact player for New Orleans has been Jonas Valanciunas. The big man was an offseason addition to this squad and has proved to be worth it. Valanciunas is averaging 17 points and 15 rebounds a game. He is filling a much needed position for the Pelicans and gives them a strong presence in the paint. If he can continue to dominate and win the battle down low then the Pelicans could win this game. New Orleans has the pieces to be competitive, they just need to come together and prove that they can win games. That all starts Friday night against the Kings.
Final Kings-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
The bookmakers set the line for this game to be a close one. This game should be competitive but the Kings definitely have an edge. Sacramento has proven that they can compete and win games against tough opponents. The Pelicans will be the easiest team that the Kings have had to face thus far. If the Kings come in with the right mentality then they should have no problem taking over. New Orleans is not a team that should be overlooked, they do have the talent and capability of winning games, but the Kings are a better pick. Pick Sacramento to win and cover.
FINAL KINGS-PELICANS PICK: Sacramento Kings -1.5 (-110)
FINAL KINGS-PELICANS SCORE PREDICTION: Kings 111 – Pelicans 105
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