Spurs vs Pelicans Odds and Picks – August 9
- The Pelicans and Spurs will meet on Sunday, as both teams continue to battle it out for the eighth seed in the Western Conference
- San Antonio is coming off a big win over Utah, while NOLA beat Washington last time out
- Get the full odds, preview, and best bet for Sunday’s game below
The San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Pelicans face off Sunday at 3:00 pm EST, in a game featuring two teams fighting for the playoffs in the West.
San Antonio and New Orleans have split their season series so far, with the Spurs winning the last contest back in January by four points at home.
Spurs vs Pelicans Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total at FanDuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | +3 (-110) | +124 | Over 240 (-110) |
| New Orleans Pelicans | -3 (-110) | -146 | Under 240 (-110) |
Odds taken August 8th
The latest Spurs vs Pelicans odds favor Zion Williamson and co. with a -146 moneyline heading into Sunday’s matchup.
Spurs Making Their Presence Known
Without their second-leading scorer and starting center in LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio has looked good in the Orlando Bubble, compiling a 3-2 record so far including a huge victory over a solid Utah Jazz team on Friday. One player who has really stepped up is Derrick White, who led the Spurs with 24 points against Utah.
For the season, he’s averaging just 11 points, but in Orlando, he’s pouring in 21.8 points per night. DeMar DeRozan has also impressed as per usual, putting up solid offensive numbers from a scoring and playmaking standpoint. Jakob Poeltl had a breakout performance in Friday’s win, dropping 19 points and grabbing ten boards. It will be important that he continues to produce in place of Aldridge if they want any shot of making the postseason.
No one really considered Gregg Popovich’s team to be a playoff contender this year, but they’ve held their own in the bubble and currently sit just 1.5 games behind the Grizzlies for the final seed in the Western Conference. With NOLA right on their heels as well, Sunday’s contest will be a very important one for both teams.
NOLA Desperate For Wins
At this point, every game is a must-win for the Pelicans. They’re 2-3 in Orlando, but on a positive note, one of those victories came against Memphis. Williamson has played limited minutes, but his numbers have been solid, scoring more than 20 points in his last two appearances. NOLA’s ability to score hasn’t been an issue, it’s been the defense. Alvin Gentry’s squad lost 140-125 to a Sacramento Kings team who are out of contention, then also lost by 23 to the Clippers.
On a positive note though, they’ll head into Sunday’s contest fresh off a 118-107 win over the Wizards, where they rested Zion in the second game of a back-to-back. Jrue Holiday was the difference-maker against Washington, dropping a team-high 28 points and dishing out six assists.
Just three games remain for the Pelicans as they currently sit 2.5 games behind the Grizzlies, who hold eighth, and 1.5 games behind Portland, who would be featured in the play-in series as of right now. Needless to say, it’s crunch time for New Orleans. This game against the Spurs is a must-win if they want any hope of being in the playoffs in Orlando.
Best Bet
The Spurs have been playing very well lately and are also in the hunt for a spot in the play-in series along with the Pelicans. This definitely looks like it will be an entertaining game that will come down to the wire. But, I do believe NOLA will come out on top, with Williamson leading the way after resting against the Wizards. Expect him to play at least 25 minutes and lead his team in points en route to a crucial victory.
Pick: Pelicans -3 (-110)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
