Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Picks, Predictions, Player Props & Injuries

• The Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans meet in the final game of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament on Friday
• The winner of Friday’s game will clinch the #8 seed and face the #1 OKC Thunder in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs
• See the Kings vs Pelicans odds, predictions, and player props for April 19

The final berth in the Western Conference side of the NBA playoff bracket will be determined on Friday night when Sacramento Kings (47-36, 22-19 away, 42-40-1 ATS) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (49-34, 21-20 home, 43-39-1 ats) at the Smoothie King Center at 8:30 pm CT/9:30 pm ET.

The Pelicans were dealt  a devastating injury blow during Tuesday’s loss to the Lakers, losing leading scorer Zion Williamson (22.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 5.0 APG) for weeks to a hamstring strain. With Zion out, oddsmakers give visiting Sacramento a slight edge in the Kings vs Pelicans odds for Friday night.

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Odds

The Kings are listed as 1.5-point road favorites and -125 on the moneyline. The Pelicans are +105 home underdogs to advance while the game total is sitting at 210.

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Odds as of April 19 at Fanatics. Claim this Fanatics Sportsbook promo to bet on Kings vs Pelicans. 

The winner will move onto face the #1 OKC Thunder in the first round, with Game 1 on Sunday, April 21.

Kings Rout Warriors as Home Underdogs

While the Kings struggled down the stretch of the regular season, losing five of seven to fall to ninth in the West, they exorcised some demons in the 9-vs-10 game against Golden State on Tuesday. The Kings built an early 16-point lead (38-22) and showed big-time resilience when the Dubs clawed their way back to make it a one-point game in the third quarter (58-57). Sacramento immediately went on a 30-16 run  and won the game going away (118-94). All five Sacramento starters scored at least 15 points, led by Keegan Murray with 32.

Malik Monk (15.4 PPG, 5.1 APG) remains out with a knee injury, and is likely to miss the first round if the Kings progress. Sacramento is also without Kevin Huerter (10.2 PPG, 3.5 RPG), who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery three weeks ago.  No other Kings are listed on the injury report for Friday.

Concerningly for Kings fans, Sacramento went 0-5 against the Pelicans in the regular season, and four of the five setbacks came by at least ten points. That includes a 135-123 loss on April 11. Williamson averaged 23 points and 5.8 assists against Sacramento during the regular season.

Pelicans Can’t Complete Comeback Against Lakers

New Orleans came back from eight down at halftime against the Lakers on Tuesday to tie the game at 97-97 late in the fourth quarter. But they never managed to put a nose in front and wound up on the wrong end of a 110-106 foul-fest at the end. Zion Williamson, who dazzled with 40 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists in just 36 minutes, left the game in the final minutes with a hamstring injury that’s going to keep him out at least two weeks.

Tuesday’s loss dropped the Pelicans to just 21-20 straight-up at home this season. Every other team remaining in the West won at least 24 home games during the regular season.

Sacramento enters Friday with a 22-19 record on the road, though that includes a pair of losses in New Orleans.

Williamson is the only player listed on the Pels’ injury report, though it’s clear that Brandon Ingram (20.8 PPG, 5.7 APG, 5.1 RPG) is not back to full speed since returning from a knee injury. Ingram managed just 13 points and five rebounds in 23 minutes in the regular-season finale against the Lakers, and he managed just 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting in 25 minutes during Tuesday’s loss.

SAC vs NOLA Player Props

De’Aaron Fox has the highest point total on the board at 27.5, while McCollum is highest among the Pelicans at 23.5, followed by teammate Ingram at 20.5. Domantas Sabonis, the NBA’s leading rebounder, has a massive total on the boards at 13.5. Sabonis finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists in the win over Golden State.

Kings vs Pelicans Prediction

It’s difficult to bet into a team that’s 0-for-5 against its competition but – with Williamson out and Ingram less than 100% – the version of the Pelicans we’re going to see on Friday may be a shadow of the team that roughed-up the Kings in the regular season.

Sacramento should come in plenty confident after trouncing Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and the Warriors, and I expect that momentum to carry over into a dominant win on Friday night.

SAC vs NOLA pick: Kings moneyline (-125) – two units

Sascha Paruk’s 2023-24 NBA betting record:

• 20-26 moneyline (+3.26 units)
• 25-20-2 ATS (+4.61 units)
• 1-1 over/under (-0.09 units)
• 10-16 player props (-7.32 units)
• 0-3 same-game parlay (-3.00 units)