by Rod Pearson
Thursday, Feb 08, 2024
Game Time: 10:30 pm ET, Friday, February 9, 2024
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: NBA TV
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Pelicans +1, Lakers -1; Over/Under: 236.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Pelicans +1, Lakers -1; Over/Under: 236.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Pelicans +1, Lakers -1; Over/Under: 236.5 points
Season Record
New Orleans Pelicans: 30-21 (1st place, Southwest Division)
Los Angeles Lakers: 27-25 (4th place, Pacific Division)
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Recent Form
New Orleans Pelicans: 6-4 last 10
Los Angeles Lakers: 6-4 last 10
New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Analysis
The Pelicans are entering this game with a 30-21 record overall and they are 15-11 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 4 game winning streak with wins coming against the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Toronto Raptors, and the Los Angeles Clippers in their last game. CJ McCollum led the team in points in that game with 25 while Zion Williamson was next on the team with 21 points. Zion Williamson led the team in assists in that game with 10 while Brandon Ingram led the team in rebounds with 8. They were 53.4% from the field, 37.5% from 3-point range, and 68.8% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.9 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 112.5 PPG against them. The Pelicans have an ATS record of 29-21-1 this season and their O/U record is 24-26-1.
The Lakers are entering this game with a 27-25 record overall and they are 17-8 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 3 game winning streak with wins coming against the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks, and the Charlotte Hornets in their last game, but this is also the 2nd game of a back-to-back for them with their game against the Denver Nuggets still to be played on Thursday night. In their game against the Hornets, D'Angelo Russell led the team in points in that game with 28 while LeBron James and Anthony Davis each were next on the team with 26 points. Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves each led the team in assists in that game with 11 while Anthony Davis led the team in rebounds with 15. They were 56.2% from the field, 23.5% from 3-point range, and 84.2% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 116.2 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 117.1 PPG against them. The Lakers have an ATS record of 24-29 this season and their O/U record is 29-24.
Pelicans vs Lakers Prediction
The current betting odds have the Pelicans listed as a 1 point underdog in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Pelicans have looked good in their games this season with their 30-21 record overall which has them right in a playoff spot in the West right now. They haven't looked great in their road games this season but they have still been a good road team with their 15-11 road record. They also have a lot of momentum on their side right now with 4 wins in a row. Meanwhile, the Lakers have also looked good in their games this season with their 27-25 record overall but they are also fighting for a play-in spot in the West right now and would like to move up in the standings, securing a true playoff spot. They have looked a lot better in their home games this season with their 17-8 home record and they also have some momentum coming into this one with 3 wins in a row now. As good as the Lakers have looked lately, the Pelicans have also looked a lot better in their games lately and they have the rest advantage here with the Lakers in a bad situation. The Lakers are playing this game in the 2nd game of a back-to-back and they have a really tough game against the Nuggets the night before. The Lakers are going to be low on energy in this game and with how good the Pelicans have been looking lately, they will take advantage of this opportunity in LA. The best way to place a bet here is on the Pelicans to cover the spread in this game.
Pelicans Lakers Prediction: Our NBA Pick for Friday, February 9, 2024 (10:30 pm ET start time) is Pelicans 120 Lakers 113.
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NBA Betting Trends
New Orleans Pelicans: 8-4 ATS as a road underdog of 6 points or less. 8-4 ATS against Pacific division opponents. 8-4 ATS off an upset win as an underdog. 12-5 UNDER when the line is +3 to -3. 14-6 UNDER after a win by 10 points or more. 19-9 UNDER after a game where they covered the spread.
Los Angeles Lakers: 4-9 ATS against Southwest division opponents. 5-9 ATS revenging a blowout loss vs opponent of 20 points or more. 8-4 UNDER as a home favorite of 6 points or less. 9-2 UNDER in a home game where the total is greater than or equal to 230. 8-3 UNDER revenging a same season loss vs opponent.
Key Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: N. Marshall (PF) Ques Fri - Back. J. Valanciunas (C) Ques Fri - Calf.
Los Angeles Lakers: A. Davis (PF) Ques Thurs - Achilles. L. James (SF) Ques Thurs - Ankle. D. Russell (PG) Prob Thurs - Undisclosed. J. Vanderbilt (SF) Early March - Foot. C. Reddish (SF) Mid Feb - Ankle. G. Vincent (SG) Late Feb - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“It’s exhilarating to see our team lock in like we did. Watching the Clippers over the last couple of months, they’ve been one of the best teams in the league, so it was great to see all of our guys lock in from the start. Just a wire-to-wire, high-discipline game.” - Willie Green after his team’s win against the LA Clippers in their game on Wednesday.
“He’s seen just about everything. Just the film study, the breakdowns we go through, him being vocal, him being communicative in terms of what he’s seeing, and where he needs guys to be positioned so he can make the right reads. He’s been doing all the homework he needs to do, and so that’s why you see the top results.” - Darvin Ham on Anthony Davis after his team’s win against the Hornets in their game on Monday.
Starting Lineups
New Orleans Pelicans
PG CJ McCollum
SG Brandon Ingram
SF Herbert Jones
PF Zion Williamson
C Jonas Valanciunas
Los Angeles Lakers
PG D'Angelo Russell
SG Austin Reaves
SF LeBron James
PF Rui Hachimura
C Anthony Davis
Statistical Leaders
New Orleans Pelicans
PPG: Z. Williamson (22.1)
APG: B. Ingram (5.7)
Reb/G: J. Valanciunas (9.5)
Los Angeles Lakers
PPG: L. James (24.9)
APG: L. James (7.6)
Reb/G: A. Davis (12.3)
Coaches:
New Orleans Pelicans: Willie Green (3rd season)
Los Angeles Lakers: Darvin Ham (2nd season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
