Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans continue to put the NBA on notice as they get set to host the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. The Pelicans are 2-0 SU and ATS this season, winning both by double digits, and have won their last 11 games when tabbed as a favorite. The Clippers have not been a pushover either, winning two straight over the Thunder and Rockets.
The Pellies opened as 7-point favorites with a total of 237.5.
- The Clippers rank 24th in points per game this season.
- New Orleans is 6-1 SU and ATS in its last 7 games at home.
- The Clippers went 1-3 SU and ATS in 4 games vs the Pelicans last season.
Clippers vs Pelicans Game Center
Pelicans Taking Care of Business at Home
The Smoothie King Center isn’t exactly known as a hotbed for NBA basketball but if Anthony Davis continues to do his best Wilt Chamberlain impression, it will become a graveyard for opposing teams. The Pelicans are 6-1 SU and ATS in their last seven games at home (including playoffs) and in two games this season crushed the Rockets and Kings by 20-plus points.
Davis has the look of a prime MVP candidate and is averaging 28.5 points per game to go with 13 boards and three blocks. But it’s the secondary scoring of Nikola Mirotic, E’Twaun Moore and Julius Randle that is helping to carry the load as they’re combining to average 67.5 points per game, which means that the opposition can’t double-team Davis on the block.
The Pellies spread is where I’m leaning in this game as New Orleans is 9-1 SU and 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games (including playoffs) as a fave of 6.5 or more. What’s most impressive is the Pelicans have covered the spread as a favorite in 11 straight games with an average win margin of 15 points per game. SHEESH!
Clippers’ Scoring is a Concern
There wasn’t much expectation for the Los Angeles Clippers coming into the season as the exodus of high-end talent voided them of their all-stars. But so far this season, the Clip-Show has taken down two quality teams in the Western Conference in the Rockets and Thunder.
However, those two wins were at home and the Clippers’ scoring leaves a lot to be desired through three games. LA is ranked 24th in points per game and leading scorers Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari may find it difficult to get buckets against the Pelicans based on the defensive matchups.
The Clippers have also not fared well on the spread when playing on the road vs the Pelicans as they’ve gone 5-15 ATS in their last 20 games in that spot and, as mentioned, went 1-3 SU and ATS in this matchup last season. I think the Clips will be a decent spread bet against some of the lower-end teams in the league but New Orleans is showing it may be a top-three team in the West this season, which means LA could have a rocky start to its first road trip of the season.
Is the Total Too High to Take the OVER?
The total opened at 237.5 and while it’s not the highest Sportsbook total of the year, it may give totals bettors some pause before considering the OVER. Well, I’m here to tell you that an OVER may not be the worst wager you can make because scoring is way up in the NBA this season and the OVER has hit in both of the Pelicans’ games this season with an average combined score of 261 points per game.
My Pick is…
To take the Pelicans to cover. Anthony Davis is coming into his own as a force in the NBA and the secondary scoring is playing at a level that makes them tough to fade, especially at the -6.5-point spread.
