The Golden State Warriors invade the Smoothie King Center to battle the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Here’s a Pelicans vs. Warriors prediction. This article will include a Pelicans vs. Warriors pick.
Golden State Warriors Betting Preview
The Golden State Warriors have been struggling as they’ve dropped five of their last eight games overall, but they will be eager to build some momentum after snapping a two-game skid with a 128-117 home win over the Nuggets on Sunday. Moses Moody led the team with 23 points, seven rebounds, and five assists; Al Horford added 22 points with seven assists on eight of 11 shooting; De’Anthony Melton scored 20 points; and Brandin Podziemski chipped in with 18 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists. As a team, the Warriors shot 51 percent from the field and 21 of 52 from the 3-point line as they exploded for 76 points in the first half to jump out to a 14-point lead. However, the Warriors allowed the Nuggets back into the contest and were actually trailing until they closed the final 7:08 on a 24-8 run to make it look easy at the end.
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been struggling also, as they’ve lost five of their last eight games overall, but they will be feeling better after they snapped a two-game skid with a 126-111 win over the 76ers on Saturday. Jordan Poole led the team with 23 points and five assists on eight of 15 shooting, Zion Williamson added 21 points with six rebounds and eight assists, while Saddiq Bey chipped in with 20 points on seven of 14 shooting. As a team, the Pelicans shot 49 percent from the field and 17 of 34 from the 3-point line as they struggled to keep pace early on and fell behind by 11 points in the first half before they flipped the script and dominated the second half by 69-46 to come away with a relatively comfortable win in the end.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The Warriors have lost each of their last five games as road favorites following a home win.
- The underdogs have won five of the Pelicans’ last six games.
- The Pelicans have covered the spread in each of their last seven games against Western Conference opponents.
- The Warriors have failed to cover the spread in each of their last seven road games following a home win.
Why the Golden State Warriors will win
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last nine games against Pacific Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Warriors have won 18 of their last 19 games against the Pelicans following a home win.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as home underdogs against Pacific Division opponents.
- The Warriors have covered the spread in five of their last six games as road favorites against Southwest Division opponents.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the Warriors’ last nine games as favorites have gone OVER the total points line.
- Seven of the Pelicans’ last eight home games against Western Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- Zion Williamson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points in the paint per game (15.9) this season.
- Herb Jones is one of only two players in the league to have recorded 8+ steals in a game this season.
Golden State Warriors Player Facts
- Pat Spencer ranks 18th amongst qualified players for assists per 36 minutes (7.4) this season.
- Moses Moody ranks 31st amongst qualified players for 3P% (40.2%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pelicans have recorded the largest comeback win from an HT deficit this season—trailing by 22 points vs. the Rockets on December 18.
- The Pelicans rank 29th in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (12.5).
- The Warriors rank 1st in the league for three-point field goals made per game this season (16.5).
- The Warriors rank 1st in the league for three-point field goal attempts per game this season (45.4).
Pelicans vs Warriors Prediction
The Warriors are still missing Stephen Curry, Seth Curry, Jimmy Butler III, and Kristaps Porzingis, with Al Horford and Draymond Green both questionable, while the Pelicans have ruled out Micah Peavy, Yves Missi, and Trey Murphy III. The Warriors open as slight favorites following their impressive home win over the Nuggets on Sunday, but it’s going to be tough to replicate that effort on the road against the pesky Pelicans. The Warriors would be clear favorites if they had all their key players available, but they are just missing so much firepower that I don’t think they should be favorites on the road. With that being said, the Pelicans looked great in their win over the 76ers on Saturday, and I think they can build on that with a minor upset in this spot.