They come into this one ranked third in the league in scoring and fifth in field-goal percentage. The concern for this one is that the Pelicans expect to be without their top two offensive threats. Williams (25. 2 ppg) and Ingram (20. 8 ppg) have formed into one of the league's best duos and without them, the losses have come. CJ McCollum (18. 7 ppg, 5. 8 apg) has been solid through the x-factor remains Jonas Valanciunas (13. 7 ppg, 9. 3 rpg), who will need to be a force in the paint to generate second-chance points. Thunder Building ConfidenceWhile Oklahoma City started the season slow and still appears to be one of the league's worst teams when things are said and done, a three-game winning streak has instilled some new faith into this group.
One issue for this group has been when they hit the road, with a 6-8 record away from home, which is sure to test them again on Friday night. It hasn't helped that this group has a number of key injuries that they continue to navigate. Zion Williamson (illness) is the obvious big name who remains out and with Brandon Ingram (toe) out into next month, questions remain as to where this group will find scoring. Larry nance Jr.
It isn't quite as concerning given the quality of the teams that they lost to in Milwaukee, Phoenix, and a pair against Utah, with three of those coming on the road. This group hasn't been a stranger to big wins themselves this season, having won two in a row against the Suns prior to their losing streak and they'll need to regain that confidence.
Best Bets Full-Game Side Bet Rating: I’m taking New Orleans and the points. Even with the back-to-back in mind, I think there’s value in this number as the Pelicans enter as underdogs. Without Ingram and Williamson, New Orleans still proved it has what it takes to win against the bottom of the West behind McCollum and company. The Thunder are just 2-5 both SU and ATS as the favorites this season, plus 4-11 SU in their last 15 games against Southwest Division opponents. Meanwhile, New Orleans is 14-7 SU as the favorite during this campaign and 11-5 SU in its last 16 played in December.
4 percent from the field and 38. 2 percent from three-point range. — NBA (@NBA) December 23, 2022 Williamson (quarantine) is labeled QUESTIONABLE to return on Friday, while Ingram (toe) remains OUT indefinitely. Larry Nance Jr. (achilles) is also QUESTIONABLE versus Oklahoma City. The Pelicans are averaging 117. 3 points per game, the third-most in the league, on a fifth-ranked 48. 5-percent shooting clip from the field. Williamson leads the team with 25. 2 points per contest, converting on a team-high 60. 3 percent of his shot attempts. Thunder hope to capitalize on fatigued PelicansOklahoma City is 3-0 both SU and ATS in its last three appearances, beating Memphis on Dec. 17 and then Portland twice within the next four days.
The Pelicans won the first meeting of the season between the two sides and will be looking to continue their in-season dominance on Friday night in this one. Pelicans Aim To Snap SkidThe Pelicans have been the talk of the league for much of the beginning of the season but a recent four-game skid has people wondering if and when they can bounce back. They still come in with an 18-12 record but before the losing streak started, they were sitting near the top of the Western Conference.
Last time out in a 101-98 win over the Blazers, point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a game-high 27 points alongside six boards and three assists. Gilgeous-Alexander paces the group with 31. 2 points, 5. 7 assists and 1. 7 steals per game — more than doubling the next-closest scorer in Josh Giddy (14. 6 ppg). OKC had a strong defensive showing thanks to the total team effort put forth by maintaining Portland's key scorers. The Thunder stayed the course and was able to grind out a 101-98 win. @NickAGallo breaks down the back-and-forth match up from Paycom. pic.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 12-23-2022The New Orleans Pelicans (19-12) travel to Paycom Center for an 8 p. m. ET matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder (14-18) on Friday. The Thunder are 1. 5-point favorites with the total set at 231. 5 points. Pelicans snap losing streak with Spurs winNew Orleans — ranked No. 3 in the Western Conference — had dropped four-straight games before beating the Spurs, 126-117, on Thursday.
Prediction: Pelicans +1. 5 Full-Game Total Pick Give me the over. New Orleans and OKC average 232. 4 points per game combined, and the Thunder give up the sixth-most points (116. 5) in the league right now. Oklahoma City has scored 115 or more in two of its last three games, while New Orleans put up 117 or more in seven of its last 10 appearances. The Pelicans are currently on a four-game over streak with 231.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder - Statsalt
What started as a hobby, soon became a passion, as he became the sports editor of his high school newspaper, then wrote for his university newspaper during his undergrad years. After obtaining a degree in Sports Operations and Promotions, and spending 8 years deeply immersed in the sports world, Eric decided to take his love for analytics and predictions, and his experience, to online sports fans everywhere.
(Achilles) is a name to keep an eye on and while he was out for Thursday's game, his emergence back into the lineup could come at a crucial time for this one. mean muggin’ 😤 pic. twitter. com/svjEzsYG65— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 23, 2022 While it might be a surprise based on how the last few years have gone for this team to be finding success, their stats on both sides of the ball make it clear that this is a strong team. While the defense has been strong, the offense has been carrying this group so far.
Best Bets for this Game Full-Game Side Bet Insiders Status: Rating: The Pelicans might be down some key players but this is still a game that they'll find a way to not only keep close but to spring the upset. Even without Williamson and Ingram, they still have an advantage when it comes to the paint. The Thunder struggle to limit chances second-chance opportunities and with the Pelicans' size inside, they should be able to find quite a few easy buckets.
A pair of those wins have come against Portland, which isn't the most impressive of feats, though a win against Memphis last week certainly turned some heads. One thing that certainly can't be overlooked is how well the Thunder have played at home. They come into this one with a 9-7 record at home and with New Orleans struggling on the road, this could be a prime opportunity for Oklahoma City to grab another impressive win heading into the holiday. It also doesn't hurt that this will be their sixth straight game at home, with that continuity and lack of travel likely to play a role in how this one goes.
2 ppg, 5. 7 apg) is having an MVP-caliber season and will control how this game goes. If he dictates the tempo and finds mismatches, there's no reason to that that the winning streak can't continue. The main concern is how this group will fare on the glass. Josh Giddey (8. 0 rpg) is the team's top rebounder and with the way the Pelicans dominate the glass, the Thunder will have to find a way to limit second-chance opportunities.
twitter. com/CToAhaL13e— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 22, 2022 OKC is averaging the 10th-most points per game (115. 1), shooting 46 percent from the field and 34. 3 percent from three-point range. The Thunder are also 14-6 SU in their last 20 contests when playing at home against New Orleans. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (ankle) and Ousmane Dieng (wrist) have both been downgraded to OUT against New Orleans, while 2022 No. 2 overall pick Chat Holmgren (foot) is OUT for the season.
The Pelicans were without the star duo of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, but CJ McCollum stepped up in their absence with a game-high 40 points on 14-of-27 shooting to propel the Crescent City to victory. Four other Pelicans reached double-digit scoring figures in the shorthanded effort, as New Orleans shot 48.
New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder - PickDawgz
Pelicans vs Thunder Prediction, Odds, Lines, Team Props
Without Williamson and Ingram, who combine for 45 points per game, the Pelicans are bound to take a massive step backward on the offensive end. Adding to that, those absences mean that the Pelicans will be focused on paint points, which should drive down their scoring as well. For the Thunder, they simply lack scoring behind their leader and will need this played at a slow pace to stay in it. Additionally, according to covers. com, the under is 4-1 for the Thunder in their last five games overall and 5-1 in their last six games against a team with a winning straight-up record. Prediction: Under 232 Written By Eric Ploch, "Eric P. " Eric grew up surrounded by sports, whether it was spending the weekend catching games in person or on tv, or heading out to the fields to play whatever sport was in season.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Live Score
The off-season set this group into worry when Chet Holmgren (foot), the team's second overall pick in the NBA Draft, was ruled out for the season with a foot injury. Since then, this group has been able to remain relatively healthy, especially of late, which has played into their recent run of success. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (ankle) remains the other key piece that has been ruled out for this one. — OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 22, 2022 The Thunder will like that the Pelicans will be without their top two players and with their scoring having struggled at times this season, they'll be looking to slow this game down and not get into a shootout. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31.
Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans live score