New Orleans is playing its best basketball of the season, powered by superstar rookie Zion Williamson. He makes his debut at the Staples Center on Tuesday, and while the first-place Lakers opened as 8-point favorites, can anybody bet against Zion right now?
- Date/Time: February 25, 10 p.m. ET
- Arena: Staples Center
- TV Coverage: TNT, TSN
- Sportsbook Odds: Lakers -8 | O/U 238.5
- Pelicans vs Lakers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Lakers are 5-1 in their last six against the Pelicans, they sit first in the Western Conference with a 43-12 record and they are a balanced club both offensively and defensively. While the Pelicans are noticeably better with Zion Williamson, it’s still not enough to keep them from Sportsbook as 8-point road underdogs.
Both the Lakers and the Pelicans have seen the total go OVER in the majority of their recent games and their last three matchups have averaged about 230 points, but again, the Zion factor adds a little more offense to the equation, so the total opened at 238.5 points.
New Orleans News & Notes
Zion Williamson gets his first taste of playing in the Staples Center as both he and his team are riding major hot streaks. The rookie phenom tallied 28 points and seven rebounds in New Orleans’ 115-101 victory over Golden State on Sunday, his eighth straight game cracking the 20-point plateau.
The win was also the Pelicans’ fifth in their last six games, and they are 4-1-1 ATS during that stretch as well. New Orleans hasn’t been very successful against the Lakers recently, losing five of the last six, but the Pelicans have done well against the spread with an 8-3-1 ATS ledger over their last 12 meetings with the Lakers.
It’s no surprise that the Pelicans, up to fourth in the NBA in scoring (and 28th in defensive scoring), have seen the total go OVER in five of their last six games. Considering it’s Zion’s debut in Hollywood, expect some fireworks on the court.
Los Angeles News & Notes
The Lakers are rolling again, having won five straight and seven of their last eight following a 114-112 home win over Boston on Sunday.
It’s been a throwback to the showtime Lakers of old, as the total has gone OVER in 13 of Los Angeles’ last 18 games. The offense continues to be paced by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and the duo has been particularly effective against the Pelicans this season, with Davis averaging 43.5 points and James adding 23 in two games.
The third time will be a little tougher offensively for the Lakers, specifically Davis, as they’ll likely see a lot of Zion Williamson and deal with him ballhawking on defense. But considering they have the NBA’s seventh-rated offense and seventh-rated defense, the Lakers are able to adapt to any opponent and style — they’re first in the Western Conference for a reason.
Betting Pick: Pelicans +8
You don’t think Zion isn’t going to put on a show in his Staples Center debut? He’s been a force since he joined the Pelicans roster, and while he may not be enough to carry New Orleans to victory, they should be able to keep it close enough to cover.
- New Orleans is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road.
- New Orleans is 1-4 SU in its last 5 road games vs the Lakers.
- The OVER is 4-1 in the Lakers’ last 5 games vs New Orleans.
