The San Antonio Spurs (19-52) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (34-37) on Tuesday night! Action tips off at 8:10 p.m. ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Spurs-Pelicans prediction, pick, and how to watch.
San Antonio is coming off an upset win over Atlanta but remains in 14th place in the Western Conference and is eliminated from playoff contention. The Spurs covered 42% of their games while 58% went over the projected point total. New Orleans has lost two of their last three games and sits in 12th place in the West. The Pelicans covered 46% of their games while 51% went under. This will be the fourth and final meeting between the division foes. New Orleans has won each of the prior three matches with two of the three coming by double-digits.
Here are the Spurs-Pelicans NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Spurs-Pelicans Odds:
San Antonio Spurs: +13 (-112)
New Orleans Pelicans: -13 (-108)
Over: 231 (-110)
Under: 231 (-110)
How To Watch Spurs vs. Pelicans
TV: Bally Southwest, Bally New Orleans
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
San Antonio has entered tanking mode as they are one of four teams mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. That being said, the Spurs may be a frisky upset team the rest of the way as they have a number of good young players. While the Spurs are a horrendous defensive team, they have shown flashes on offense. They are especially dangerous thanks to their ball movement and ability to score inside. San Antonio ranks second in points in the paint per game and fifth in assists per game. Additionally, the Spurs rank in the top 10 in offensive rebound rate which generates a ton of extra possessions. That being said, San Antonio will be without a number of key players tonight including Keldon Johnson, Devin Vassell, Zach Collins, and Jeremy Sochan.
With so many guys out tonight the Spurs will have a ton of shots up for grabs. First and foremost, look for rookie Malaki Branham to see an uptick in usage. The 20th overall pick has had an up-and-down rookie year but has certainly flashed the potential to be a valuable rotation piece. A 6'4″ shooting guard, Branham has averaged 11 PPG and 1.1 threes per game on 43% shooting since the All-Star break. He's put together two of his best games as a pro over the last week, scoring 20 against the Mavericks and 18 against the Grizzlies. The Pelicans are merely an average defensive team and with an opportunity to serve as the No. 1 option look for Branham to have a big night.
The X-factor for the Spurs tonight is guard Romeo Langford. Langford was once a prized lottery pick for the Boston Celtics but hasn't quite found his footing in the league. However, he has gotten an expanded role in recent weeks. While his scoring can fluctuate from game to game, he notably dropped 17 points on 50% shooting in their loss to Dallas last week. A fluid, 6'5″ guard, Langford could find himself with a major opportunity tonight against a New Orleans team that has struggled to contain opposing guards this season.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
New Orleans is running out of time to piece things back together as they are on the outside looking into the Western Conference play-in game. While they did blow a game to the lowly Rockets last week, the Pelicans have a great opportunity to cover tonight against a short-handed Spurs squad. New Orleans is a solid but not spectacular team that ranks 16th in scoring and 15th in points allowed. They aren't especially efficient on offense but they do a good job moving the as they rank 10th in assists. That being said, the biggest factor in whether they'll cover tonight is their rebounding. New Orleans ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebound rates but will need to keep San Antonio off the offensive glass.
The Pelicans feature a solid core of scorers via Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. Ingram has been fantastic since the All-Star break, averaging 25.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 5.3 APG. He's been solidly efficient as well, shooting 48% overall and 36% from three. BI has been especially involved as a playmaker of late, dishing out five assists in seven of his last eight games. As for McCollum, he has been the one constant in what has been an injury-riddled season for the Pelicans. He's been remarkably consistent and is averaging 20.8 PPG and 6.2 APG since the All-Star break.
Final Spurs-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
With the Spurs missing so many of their key guys look for the Pelicans to get back on track and make short work of San Antonio.
Final Spurs-Pelicans Prediction & Pick: New Orleans Pelicans -13 (-108)
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