Football closed the doors on another successful season, and now all eyes will turn and focus on the NBA as the weeks lead up to the all-star break.
In a loaded Western Conference, many teams are on the bubble and working their hardest to try and move into the chance at a play-in matchup.
Two of those teams will battle on Monday night, when the New Orleans Pelicans go on the road to take on the surging Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pelicans were the recipients of unfortunate news regarding their star player Zion Williamson. He re-aggravated his hamstring injury and will be sidelined for more time.
Since his absence, the Pelicans have been in a freefall and are in a rough position to close the year. Matching up with the Thunder, who have been on fire, will put them into a tough spot.
Looking ahead at the spread for this game, the Thunder get the slight home favorite over the Pelicans at -1.
Where to carry the load without Zion Williamson
It has been a long time since Williamson has seen the floor and he was dominant earlier in the season. Treading water until his return is going to be key for the Pelicans.
Their roster has some nice components to it, but sometimes they just don’t seem to have it. They will be fresh off a loss coming into this game, but in 2023 they have been prone to losing.
The likes of CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram are going to have to find a way to elevate their level of play as they continue to be the leading scorers.
We may very well see this matchup against the Thunder in the play-in tournament.
A blossoming franchise superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
When the Thunder unloaded Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers, they were able to secure a number of first-round draft picks and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Since then, Gilgeous-Alexander has continued to add things to his game and now has become one of the most deadly scorers in the league.
With the rest of the roster on the Thunder, this team is here to make some noise as the newest young core. Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and more show each night why they are improving.
Anybody would be terrified to be matched up with them in the postseason, and their roster is built to have energy and fast-paced games. Expect them to blitz the Pelicans from the tip.
Pelicans @ Thunder Betting Prediction
The Western Conference has been an absolute gauntlet this year, and continues to bring some of the most exciting games we have seen.
The Thunder are winners of their last two games and have been one of the most exciting teams in the league with the emergence of SGA.
With the home court advantage in this game, the Thunder have every tool that they need in order to win. Take them to win this game at -1 and to find a way to jump this one out of the gate.
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.