The New Orleans Pelicans will meet the Phoenix Suns for Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals on Tuesday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Pelicans-Suns prediction and pick.
The Suns defeated the Pelicans 110-99 to take a 1-0 series lead in the first round. Now, Phoenix aims to build on that to take a 2-0 series lead before heading to New Orleans.
Chris Paul scored 30 points with 10 assists. Paul shot 12-for-16, including 4-for-6 from beyond the arc, with 19 points coming in the fourth quarter. Additionally, Devin Butler came through with 25 points and eight assists. He went 8-for-19 from the field, converting 4-of-8 on 3-pointers.. Also, Deandre Ayton chipped in 21 points with nine rebounds. Phoenix shot 53.8 percent from the field while converting 35.7 percent of its 3-pointers.
CJ McCollum scored 25 points to lead the Pelicans. However, he shot just 9-for-25 from the field. Jonas Valanciunas added 21 points, shooting 7-for-21 from the field. However, he was also a monster on the boards as he pulled down 25 rebounds. Brandon Ingram chipped in 18 points. Unfortunately, he was not accurate, shooting 6-for-17 from the field.
Collectively, the rest of the starters mustered nine points. The Pelicans hit 37.9 percent of their shots while converting 39.1 percent of their triples. New Orleans did dominate the battle on the boards, 55-35, including 25 offensive rebounds.
The Pelicans hope to recover from a Game 1 defeat and shock the Suns in Game 2.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Pelicans-Suns Game 2 odds.
NBA Odds: Pelicans-Suns Game 2 odds
Pelicans: +10 (-112)
Suns: -10 (-108)
Over: 221.5 (-110)
Under: 221.5 (-110)
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Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
New Orleans dominated the boards in Game 1. This is the principal reason the Pelicans competed, and the Suns could not put them away until the end. The Pelicans pulled to within nine points with under a minute left in the game before the Suns got the final bucket. Dominating the boards helped the Pelicans go a long way. However, New Orleans has to convert its field goal opportunities. The Suns outmatched the Pelicans in that aspect.
McCollum, Ingram, and Valanciunas must find better shots from the open floor. The starting five shot a combined 29-for-73 from the field, which amounted to 39.7 percent field goal shooting. Ingram has to attempt better shots from beyond the arc to give himself a higher success rate. The Pelicans also must take advantage of any free-throw attempts they get. New Orleans converted 69.2 percent of its free throws in Game 1. They must improve that stat if they want any chance of pulling off the win.
The Pelicans cover the spread if they convert on their field goal opportunities. Also, they cover if they hit on shots from beyond the arc. Additionally, New Orleans must convert its free-throw attempts. Dominating the boards would keep Game 2 competitive. Valanciunas will look to repeat his 25-rebound performance.
Why The Suns Could Cover The Spread
Again, Phoenix won by 11 despite surrendering the boards convincingly. The Suns struggled on the boards and allowed the Pelicans to pull down 25 offensive rebounds. This must change if the Suns are to cover the spread. Phoenix also needs to provide itself with second chances. They managed only five offensive rebounds in Game 1. What went wrong?
Ayton led the Suns in rebounding with nine, while Paul had seven. However, the rest of the team just did not help enough on the glass. Starting power forward Jae Crowder grabbed just one board. JaVale McGee had seven rebounds, but the rest of the bench only had two total.
The Suns shot well from the field, but their 3-point shooting could improve. Phoenix hit 35.7 percent from beyond the arc. Sure, this was enough to win the game by 11. However, the Suns never had a complete stranglehold on the game until the final minute. The Suns were on fire from the 3-point line during the regular season. Phoenix must recapture that energy to take New Orleans out earlier than in Game 1. The Suns also need better play from their bench, which scored just 22 points.
The Suns will cover Game 2 if they can improve their efficiency on the boards. Additionally, Phoenix cannot allow New Orleans to get second-chance shots and must clamp down on the defensive end. Lastly, the Suns need a better overall performance from the bench. If Phoenix can achieve these bullet points, they will cover the spread.
Final Pelicans-Suns Game 2 Prediction & Pick
The Suns took Game 1 by 11, and many considered that win a letdown based on how close it was. The Pelicans stayed in the game due to their ability to garner second chances and convert on them. Game 2 might be a different story. The Suns will not be as rusty and show the Pelicans why they were the best team in the NBA. Phoenix will defeat New Orleans, winning the game handily.
Final Pelicans-Suns Game 2 Prediction & Pick: Suns -10 (-108)
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