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Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Pick – NBA Predictions & Odds 3/12/23

Portland Trail Blazers (31-36) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (32-34)
March 12, 2023 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans -2.5; Over/Under: -
(Get latest betting odds)

The New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Portland Trail Blazers at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday night.

The Portland Trail Blazers have been in poor form as they’ve lost five of their last seven games overall and they will be hoping to avoid a third straight defeat after falling painfully short to the 76ers in a heartbreaking 120-119 road loss on Friday. Anfernee Simons drained eight 3-pointers to lead the team with 34 points on 13 of 22 shooting, Jerami Grant added 24 points with 10 rebounds while Damian Lillard chipped in with 22 points and 11 assists. As a team, the Trail Blazers shot 52 percent from the field and 15 of 36 from the 3-point line as they stormed out of the gates with 71 points in the first half to lead by as many as 21 points, only to get run down by the 76ers who stole the game on a clutch shot from Joel Embiid with just 1.1 seconds left in the game.

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in a slump of their own as they’ve lost seven of their last nine games and they will be hoping to bounce back after getting routed by the Thunder in a 110-96 loss last night. CJ McCollum led the way with 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy each scored 15 points while Jonas Valanciunas chipped in with 13 points. As a team, the Pelicans shot just 42 percent from the field and 12 of 34 from the 3-point line as they struggled right from the start and scored just 44 points in the first half to fall behind by as many as 21 points before they made a bit of a run in the second half to keep the final scores somewhat respectable.

Looking at the betting trends, the Trail Blazers are 5-13 ATS in their last 18 road games, 4-1 ATS in their last five games against a team with a losing record and 3-13 ATS in their last 16 road games against a team with a winning home record. The Pelicans are 1-4 ATS in their last five games playing on zero 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 under is 6-0 in the last six meetings overall and the Trail Blazers are 4-9 ATS in the last 13 meetings in New Orleans.

The Trail Blazers are still shorthanded as Ryan Arcidiacono and Justise Winslow are still out, while the Pelicans are still missing Jose Alvarado, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. The Trail Blazers have really been in a funk lately and their confidence took a real hit after they wasted a 21-point lead against the 76ers on Friday, but something tells me that Lillard is going to have a big game against his former teammate, McCollum. You couldn’t back either team with much confidence these days, but I’m leaning towards the Trail Blazers to get the much-needed win here.

Peter Tran's Free Pick: Portland +2.5

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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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