Clippers vs Pelicans Predictions & Odds (April 1)

Published: March 31, 2023 at 8:55 pm EDT

Brandon Ingram dribbles ball — Mar 30, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) dribbles the ball up court in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The LA Clippers are 3-point road ‘dogs when they visit the Pelicans Saturday night
LA lost in Memphis Friday, and will be playing the second of a back-to-back
Read below for the Clippers vs Pelicans odds and predictions

It may be a light night Saturday in the Association, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t heavy playoff implications in the West’s NBA Playoff Bracket when the LA Clippers (41-37, 20-19 away) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (39-38, 24-13 home).

The Clips currently hold the 5-seed, but are just 1.5 games up on both the Pelicans and Lakers, who sit at the top of the play-in. They’re coming off a loss Friday in Memphis, and will be playing the second night of a back-to-back.

New Orleans will seek a seventh win in eight games, and look to sweep the 3-game regular-season series between these two clubs.

It all gets underway Saturday (April 1) at 8:30pm ET from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. You can watch the game live on NBA League Pass.

Clippers vs Pelicans Odds

Team	Spread	Moneyline	Total
Los Angeles Clippers	+3 (-110)	+130	OFF
New Orleans Pelicans	-3 (-110)	-150	OFF

The Pels are 3-point home favorites in the latest NBA odds, including -150 on the moneyline, an implied win probability of 60%.

Despite sitting in eighth in the West, New Orleans boasts the 5th-highest win total. The Clippers, meanwhile are just one of two teams in the conference to crack 20+ road wins, and they’re only one of three teams with a winning record away from home.

Odds as of Mar 31 at DraftKings.

Los Angeles Betting Analysis

It seems like you can’t ever talk about the Clips without mentioning their endless amount of injuries. Friday was no exception. Already without Paul George (knee) for an extended period, LA lost Eric Gordon (hip) in their 108-94 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Clips were also down Brandon Boston (lower body) and Marcus Morris Sr (COVID protocols) prior to tip-off, then decided to rest Kawhi Leonard after just 18 minutes of play. He is expected to be available Saturday vs NOLA.

Zu 🔨🔨 pic.twitter.com/Oa9xBK73EY

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 1, 2023

No Clipper topped 20 points in this one, with Norman Powell leading the team with 16 points and two assists off the bench. Ivica Zubac had 15 points and 15 boards. Russell Westbrook scored only four points, but dished out 11 assists — the 3rd-straight game he’s gone for 10+ assists.

The Lakers’ castoff has been a boon for the Clippers. He’s been superb in March, averaging 15.2 points, 7.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds on a crisp 48.4% shooting from the field.

New Orleans Betting Analysis

A 4-game road tip that could have wiped them off the play-in picture instead became a huge momentum builder for the Pelicans, who returned home with three wins over the Clips, Blazers and most recently, a 107-88 win in Denver.

Brandon Ingram led the way with a monster triple double, piling up 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. BI has been a major driver of the Pelicans’ bus of late, leading the Pelicans in scoring in eight of the last night games.

last night, flocked around and got a triple-double pic.twitter.com/AbVN5kdGC7

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) March 31, 2023

CJ McCollum had 23 points and three dimes, while Jonas Valanciunas had 15 points, 12 boards and four assists.

NOLA’s defense, which currently ranks seventh in scoring defense (112.2) has been cranked up during this 7-game hot stretch, holding teams to 99.3 points, including 43.3% shooting from the field and 30.6% from distance.

It’s not all good news, though. This will mark Zion Williamson’s 41st-straight missed game, as he’s trying to work his way back from a hamstring injury. New Orleans is also still without Jose Alvarado (leg) for at least another week.

Clippers vs Pelicans Betting Prediction

The Clips are about middle of the pack when it comes to playing on consecutive nights, running a 6-7 mark against the spread in 13 previous encounters.

New Orleans hasn’t been a great bet with a rest advantage, however, going just 5-9 ATS, tied for the second-fewest betting wins in that scenario in the NBA this season. However, they’ve been solid as of late, going 6-1 ATS in their last seven.

The Big Easy has been anything but for Los Angeles: they have covered just six times in their last 28 visits to NOLA, and are just 17-40 ATS in the last 57 meetings overall.

The Pelicans have won both meetings this year by 20+ points, and should be able to take advantage of a compromised and tired opponent.

Pick:

Pelicans -3 (-110); 1.5 units to win 1.36 units
NBA Betting Record: 36-35-1 ATS, 2-2 ML, 8-0 o/u, 0-3 parlays; -8.67 units

Eric Rosales

Sports Writer & Editor

Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.

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