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Pelicans vs Thunder Pick – NBA Predictions & Odds 3/11/23

Oklahoma City Thunder (31-35) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (32-34)
March 11, 2023 8:30 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans -3.5; Over/Under: -
(Get latest betting odds)

The Oklahoma City Thunder pay a visit to the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday night.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were on a nice run as they have reeled off three wins on the trot before they got stopped by the red-hot Suns in a 132-101 road loss on Wednesday. Lindy Waters led the team with 23 points off the bench, Tre Mann added 14 points off the bench while Josh Giddey chipped in with 10 points, seven rebounds and five assists. As a team, the Thunder shot just 37 percent from the field and 15 of 43 from the 3-point line as they fell behind right away after getting outscored by 34-21 in the first quarter and things only got worse in the second half where they leaked 72 points.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in a real slump as they’ve lost six of their last eight games overall, but they will be looking to stay hot after beating the Mavericks in a 113-106 win on Wednesday. CJ McCollum led the team with 32 points and five assists on 12 of 22 shooting, Trey Murphy added 16 points while Herbert Jones chipped in with 14 points. As a team, the Pelicans shot 50 percent from the field and 13 of 27 from the 3-point line as they took control of the game with a 35-19 second quarter which gave them enough of a lead to holdoff the Mavericks who rallied with 41 points in the fourth quarter.

Looking at the betting trends, the Thunder are 7-3-3 ATS in their last 13 road games, 38-18-2 ATS in their last 58 games against a team with a losing record and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games following a loss. The Pelicans are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on two days rest, 2-5 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a losing record and 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall.

Head to head, the Thunder are 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings overall and the Thunder are 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings in New Orleans.

The Thunder will again be without Kenrich Williams, while the Pelicans are still missing Jose Alvarado and Zion Williamson while Brandon Ingram is listed as questionable. The Thunder come in as the team in better form and they should be just about at full health compared to the Pelicans who could be without Ingram for this one. With that being said, I’ll side with the Thunder to pull off the minor upset on the road in this spot.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder +3.5

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Peter Tran

Peter Trans is an acclaimed Expert NBA Handicapper, renowned for his insightful analysis and predictions in the world of professional basketball. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the game, Peter has established himself as a trusted authority among basketball enthusiasts and bettors alike. His expertise is showcased on SportsChatPlace.com, where he provides in-depth game analyses, betting tips, and forecasts that are both highly informative and remarkably accurate.

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