The New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns duke it out at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Friday night. Here’s a Suns vs. Pelicans prediction. This article will include a Suns vs. Pelicans pick.
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans have been in pretty good form recently, as they’ve won seven of their last 11 games overall and they will be eager to keep it going after taking down the slumping Kings in a 133-123 road win last night. Zion Williamson led the team with 23 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on 10 of 14 shooting; Trey Murphy III added 21 points with seven rebounds and four assists, while Saddiq Bey chipped in with 20 points. As a team, the Pelicans shot 50 percent from the field and 12 of 34 from the 3-point line as they exploded for 41 points in the second quarter to take the narrow lead at halftime, but this game was actually closely contested until the third quarter, where the Pelicans went on a pivotal 15-1 run to pull away and win comfortably.
Phoenix Suns Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have been in a rut, as they’ve lost seven of their last 11 games overall but they were on a two-game win streak before they got stopped in their tracks by the shorthanded Bulls in a 105-103 loss last night. Devin Booker led the team with 27 points, Grayson Allen added 21 points with eight assists off the bench, and Jalen Green chipped in with 12 points. As a team, the Suns shot just 39 percent from the field and 13 of 46 from the 3-point line as they slowly worked their way back into the contest following a slow start to the game, but they fell behind by 12 points in the fourth quarter, which cost them as they rallied to cut the deficit to just two points before they ran out of time. Green had a night to forget as he shot just five of 20 from the field and one of eight from the 3-point line.
Why the Phoenix Suns will win
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last 11 road games against opponents who are on the second leg of a back-to-back.
- The Suns have won each of their last eight games against Southwest Division opponents that held a losing record.
- The Suns have covered the spread in each of their last 10 games as favorites against Southwest Division opponents.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in 10 of their last 11 road games with both teams on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The Suns have lost four of their last six games as home favorites.
- The Pelicans have won four of their last six games as underdogs against Western Conference opponents following a win.
- The Suns have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight games as home favorites.
- The Pelicans have covered the spread in eight of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents following a win.
Total Points: Facts
- Eight of the Suns’ last nine games against Southwest Division opponents have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Eight of the Pelicans’ last 10 games as underdogs following a road win have gone OVER the total points line.
Phoenix Suns Player Facts
- Grayson Allen ranks 6th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (4.1) this season.
- Collin Gillespie ranks 9th amongst qualified players for three-pointers made per 36 minutes (3.8) this season.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- Zion Williamson ranks 1st in the league for points in the paint (748) this season.
- Herb Jones is one of only two players in the league to have recorded 8+ steals in a game this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Suns rank 1st in the league for opponent three-point percentage this season (34.1%).
- The Suns have suffered the largest comeback loss when leading through Q3 this season—led by 18 points vs. the Hawks on November 16.
- 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 1st for points in the paint (3420) this season.
Suns vs Pelicans Prediction
The Pelicans are still keeping an eye on Dejounte Murray, who could make his return in this one, while the Suns have ruled out Jordan Goodwin, Dillon Brooks, and Mark Williams. These teams have already clashed three times this season, with the Suns winning each game, but they are playing their second game of a back-to-back set following a tough loss to the severely depleted Bulls. It’s tempting to take the Pelicans as underdogs in this one, but the Suns know they are better than what they showed last night and I think they bounce back with a narrow win and cover against the Pelicans.