9:40 pm
April 3

Pelicans @ Clippers

Who will WIN this matchup?

New Orleans Pelicans (34-43)

@ Los Angeles Clippers (38-40)

 

Current odds:

New Orleans Pelicans: (+107)

Los Angeles Clippers: (-128)

 

• The line for this game is Clippers by 2 points.

• The New Orleans Pelicans are on the verge of clinching a play-in spot in the Western Conference. The Pelicans can guarantee a spot if they beat the Clippers on Sunday night in Los Angeles and if the Lakers lose at home against Denver earlier in the day. It has been a remarkable turnaround for the Pelicans (34-43), who started the season 3-16 but have surged since acquiring CJ McCollum in a mid-February trade.

• New Orleans passed the Lakers by beating them twice in the last week. A 114-111 road victory against the Lakers on Friday night gave the Pelicans a 3-0 sweep of the season series. They are also 3-0 against Los Angeles’ other team as they complete the season series against the Clippers on Sunday.

• McCollum scored 14 of his 32 points in the first quarter and Brandon Ingram scored 23 of his 29 in the second half. The Pelicans withstood 38 points from LeBron James and 23 by Anthony Davis in his return from an 18-game absence due to a foot injury. Los Angeles held a three-point lead with three minutes remaining, but Jonas Valanciunas scored five points and Ingram added a basket during a 7-0 run that put New Orleans ahead for good.

• The Clippers (38-40), who finish the regular season with four straight home games, have clinched a playoff berth and are all but locked in at No. 8. The ninth-place Pelicans trail them by 3 1/2 games but hold the tiebreaker regardless of what happens Sunday night.

• Los Angeles set a franchise regular season scoring record in a 153-119 victory at Milwaukee on Friday night in which both teams rested most of their starters.

• The Clippers played without four starters: Paul George (resting injured elbow), Reggie Jackson (rest), Nicolas Batum (ankle) and Marcus Morris Sr. (knee) as they and the Bucks were coming off overtime games Thursday night.

• Robert Covington scored a career-high 43 points and made a franchise-record 11 3-pointers (in 18 attempts) to lead the way.

• Amir Coffey added a career high of his own with 32 points as the Clippers shot 60.9 percent from the floor and 23 of 43 on 3-pointers.

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Los Angeles Clippers
Previous Pick
Next Pick