NEW ORLEANS PELICANS VS. LA CLIPPERS ODDS AND PREDICTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Greetings, basketball fans. Welcome back to our NBA coverage here at Latest Basketball News. One of the games on tap from tonight’s slate features the New Orleans Pelicans (29-21 SU, 28-21-1 ATS) taking on the LA Clippers (34-15 SU, 28-21 ATS).

Here is a look at which team has the edge going into this matchup and why.

Tipoff

• When: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
  
• Time: 10:00 PM ET
  
• Where: Crypto.com Arena
  
• Location: Los Angeles, California
  
• TV: ESPN, BSSC and BSNO

New Orleans Pelicans vs. LA Clippers Odds (Via DraftKings)

New Orleans Pelicans vs. LA Clippers – Regular Season Stats & Betting Trends

Can The Pelicans Keep Pace With The Western Conference’s Top Team?

New Orleans Pelicans Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 116.9 PPG – 13TH          
• Offensive Efficiency: 118.1 points per 100 possessions – 11TH               
• Scoring Defense: 112.6 PPG – 9TH           
• Defensive Efficiency: 113.8 points per 100 possessions – 8TH    

The New Orleans Pelicans own the No. 7 spot in the conference playoff race. They have gone 5-5 over the past 10 games and enter this matchup riding a three-game winning streak with an average margin of victory of 16.7 points in those contests.

This includes a 138-100 against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. Four of the Pelicans’ starters scored in double figures. Brandon Ingram set the tone with 41 points on 16-for-21 shooting from the floor. He also had nine assists and six rebounds.

CJ McCollum added 20 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Zion Williamson finished with 16 points (on just eight shot attempts) to go along with five assists and three rebounds. 

In the blowout win, New Orleans shot 51 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from beyond the arc.

“It was simple. We pushed the pace, guys set good ball screens, we executed, and we found the open shots,” Ingram said via CBS Sports. “I felt like the starting five was intentional about what we were doing starting in the first quarter. Everything kind of followed.”

The 138 points total was the Pelican’s fifth-highest scoring output this season. But make no mistake, their ability to score will be heavily tested against a Clippers team that is clicking on all cylinders. 

Can The Clippers Keep Rolling Following A 6-1 Road Trip?

LA Clippers Season Stats:

• Scoring Offense: 118.8 PPG – 6TH  
• Offensive Efficiency: 121.3 points per 100 possessions – 3RD            
• Scoring Defense: 112.3 PPG – 8TH         
• Defensive Efficiency: 114.7 points per 100 possessions – 13TH       

Meanwhile, the Clippers have been playing at an extremely high level over the past several weeks. They have produced nine wins in their last 10 outings. With both the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves losing on Tuesday night, LA now has the best record in the Western Conference.

Not only that, but they have also posted six wins in their recent seven-game road trip, and they enter this matchup riding the wave of a four-game winning streak. This includes a 149-144 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers’ scoring attack with 36 points and five assists. He shot an efficient 13-for-20 from the field while knocking down five of his eight attempts from beyond the arc. 

James Harden added 30 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Paul George contributed 18 points, five assists and two steals. 

The Clippers’ offense was very proficient in the win over the Hawks, shooting 58.4 percent from the floor and a sizzling 60 percent (21-for-35) from 3-point range. 

“To go 6-1 against the caliber of teams we played on this trip, coming into it, we knew tonight was going to be tough,” coach Tyronn Lue said, via ESPN. “Got down early in the second half, continued to keep fighting. It was a total team effort.”

On the heels of an impressive 6-1 road trip, LA looks to continue its momentum in the first leg of an upcoming three-game homestand. 

Now that we have set the table for this matchup, let us look at the betting trends for both sides.

The Picks

The Spread

The Los Angeles Clippers opened as a 6.5-point favorite. The line has recently climbed to seven points for the home team (per pre-game.com). Here is a look at how both teams have fared against the spread this season. 

• The Pelicans are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games overall. 
• New Orleans is 6-1 ATS in its last seven road matchups against the Clippers. 
• In their last 10 outings against Pacific Division opponents, the Pelicans are 7-3 against the spread. 
• The Clippers are 8-2 ATS in their last 10 outings.
• LA is 5-0 ATS in its last five matchups against Southwest Division opponents.

Given the above trends, going with the road team to cover is the best play here.

Prediction: New Orleans Pelicans (+7)

Over/Under

The projected over/under total for this matchup opened at 233.5 points. At the time of this writing, the line has dipped to 230 points. Here is why going with the “under” is the smart choice. 

• The total has gone UNDER four times in the Pelicans’ last six contests.

• The UNDER total has cashed in four times in New Orleans’s last five matchups against Western Conference teams.

• The UNDER total has prevailed five times in the Clippers’ last seven games.
• In LA’s last eight matchup against New Orleans, the UNDER total hit six times.

Prediction: UNDER 230 points

Player Prop Bets

One of the key players to watch for the road team is Zion Williamson. He currently has -140 odds of scoring more than 20.5 points and +110 odds of finishing with less than 20.5 points.

Here is a glance to see how his numbers compare to the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Williamson is averaging 22.1 points per outing. 
• In 18 road contests this season, he is averaging 23.3 PPG.
• Williamson has played against Western Conference opponents 30 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 22.2 points per outing.
• In 10 matchups against Pacific Division opponents, Williamson is averaging 20.6 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Williamson is averaging 23.1 PPG, while exceeding the points total for this matchup six times during that stretch.

Going with the “over” for Williamson is the smart choice based on the above trends.

Prediction: Zion Williamson OVER 20.5 points

Fresh off his 30-point performance against the Hawks, the key player to watch for the home team is James Harden. He currently has -125 odds of scoring more than 17.5 points and -105 odds of finishing with less than 17.5 points. 

Let us take a closer look to see how Harden’s numbers stack up against the projected points total for this matchup. 

• On the season, Harden is averaging 17.3 points per outing.
• In 20 home contests, he is averaging 17.3 PPG.
• Harden has played against Western Conference opponents 28 times this season. In those contests, he is averaging 16.8 points per outing.
• In 11 matchups against Southwest Division teams, Harden is averaging 21.6 points per game.
• Over his last 10 outings, Harden has averaged 18.5 PPG, exceeding the points total for this matchup six times during that stretch.

Prediction: James Harden OVER 17.5 points

James’s New Orleans Pelicans vs. LA Clippers Picks

• The Spread: New Orleans Pelicans (+7)
• Over/Under: UNDER 230 points
• Player Prop Bet #1: Zion Williamson OVER 20.5 points
• Player Prop Bet #2: James Harden UNDER 17.5 points