Pelicans vs Suns Picks and Odds

• The 2-1 New Orleans Pelicans meet the Phoenix Suns on December 29th, 2020
• Phoenix also sits 2-1 after splitting a back-to-back with the Sacramento Kings
• Get the latest odds, betting preview and pick below

The Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans matchup for their fourth games of the season on December 29th. Both teams are 2-1 – New Orleans got the better of the Spurs last time out, while the Suns split a back-to-back with the Sacramento Kings.

Phoenix is 3.5-point favorites over the Pels per FanDuel. These are two teams who made significant offseason changes, as the Suns are looking to end their postseason drought and the Pelicans are heading in a new direction under the stewardship of Stan Van Gundy.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Phoenix Suns Odds

Odds taken on Dec 29 from FanDuel

Improved Defense

Early signs on the defensive end have been good for both teams. With just three games played, there’s not a significant sample to read much into defensive ratings of individual numbers, but it looks better. Veteran additions of Chris Paul and Jae Crowder have bolstered the Suns on defense, and Mikal Bridges has picked up where he left off in the bubble – he’s an elite wing defender.

Losing Jrue Holiday hasn’t harmed the Pels too much on defense. Eric Bledsoe is great defensively, and his backcourt partnership with Lonzo Ball has been very effective at preventing opponent’s drives. Zion Williamson and Ball are among the top players in the league in steals. Brandon Ingram has looked more engaged on defense than he was last season, and Steven Adams has been an impactful presence in the paint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUG8392iT4k

Williamson is clearly in better condition than he was in Orlando. He’s still figuring out NBA defense, but he’s not such a passenger on that end. He’s still collecting offensive rebounds at an incredible rate too (4.4 per 36 minutes so far this season).

Suns Search for Offense

With significant new pieces comes a period of settling in. The Suns’ offense is still figuring things out – Paul hasn’t shot the ball so far on his way to under 13 points per contest. Phoenix has been middle of the pack offensively thus far.

These are the games the Suns need to win if they are to deliver on their promise this season. It’s no surprise to see the Suns favored, but they need to find some offensive rhythm on Tuesday. Paul has unsurprisingly been the main offensive hub (he’s averaging 17.7 potential assists, five higher than last season), but the chemistry is unsurprisingly still developing with Devin Booker, who has a 56% true scoring through three games, which would be his lowest mark since his second year in the league.

This isn’t the Pels team of last season. They are a much better defensive team than the one we saw in the bubble. This is a real test for a Suns offense which hasn’t been great so far.

Lean Pels

Just as the teams are still working things out, we are still discovering how they look. A coaching change in New Orleans, the loss of Holiday and the arrival of Bledsoe and Adams, requires a period of adaptation. The same goes for the Suns with Paul and Crowder.

How the Suns deal with the Pelicans’ frontcourt will be pivotal. Crowder and Deandre Ayton could get a battering on the boards – Zion is good value for over 9.5 rebounds at -110.

Phoenix has the higher ceiling of the two, but early season performances suggest they are well-matched right now. The Pels to cover is the pick.

Bet: New Orleans Pelicans +3.5 (-110)