The New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers do battle at the Crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.
The New Orleans Pelicans have been in great shape as they’ve won six of their last eight games and they will be gunning for a fourth straight victory after outlasting the Lakers in a 114-111 road win on Friday. CJ McCollum led the team with 32 points, seven rebounds and four assists, Brandon Ingram added 29 points with eight rebounds and seven assists while Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with 17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot 51 percent from the field and seven of 26 from the 3-point line as they went back and forth with the Lakers in a tight contest, until late in the fourth quarter as they closed the final 2:52 on a 9-3 run to steal the game in the end.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Clippers have been in a slump as they’ve lost six of their last eight games, but they will be eager to stay hot after making light work of the shorthanded Bucks in a 153-119 road win on Friday. Robert Covington drained a career-high 11 3-pointers to finish with 43 points, Amir Coffey added 32 points with seven assists, Luke Kennard scored 23 points with six assists while Tre Mann chipped in with 18 points. As a team, the Clippers shot a sizzling 60 percent from the field and 23 of 43 from the 3-point line as they jumped all over the depleted Bucks in the first half, before pouring in another 80 points in the second half to make it a complete blowout.
Looking at the betting trends, the Pelicans are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games against a team with a losing record, 12-3 ATS in their last 15 home games and 6-2 ATS in their last eight games overall. The Clippers are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games, 5-1 ATS in their last six games against a team with a losing record and 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall.
Head to head, the Pelicans are 38-16 ATS in the last 54 meetings overall and the Pelicans are 5-2 ATS in the last seven meetings in Los Angeles.
The Pelicans’ recent run of form has moved them right into the playoff picture and they will be eager to keep the run going with another win here, while the Clippers are a threat again with Paul George back in the lineup and playing well. You can make an argument for either side here, but the Pelicans have been in terrific form lately and they haven’t had to travel since their win over the Lakers and I think they can get the job done in this one.