Pelicans to Prevail in Western Conference Feature
Clippers vs Pelicans Betting
On Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans look to hold down the fort at home against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.
Clippers vs Pelicans betting has the Pels at -6, which is a fair line given their form before their most recent loss.
Los Angeles comes off a tough road game against Chicago so that it might be softened up for this contest.
Clippers vs Pelicans 
Day/Time:
Location: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Streaming: NBA League Pass
Rare Series Loss
If the Clippers lose to the Pelicans, they will suffer a rare NBA regular season series loss.
They are 1-2 down following a 117-106 loss at home against the Pels in February, and they don’t match up well against the length of New Orleans.
Having an NBA team with the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George is great, but there aren’t many NBA players who can defend Zion Williamson in the paint and Brandon Ingram on the wings.
We expect the Clippers defense to be tested to their limits on Friday at Smoothie King Center, and there is some concern about the status of James Harden.
He missed the game against Chicago, and although the NBA injury report states he’ll be back, take those reports with a grain of salt in 2024.
The Clippers are 33-32 ATS, so they haven’t been a massively profitable wager. The Clippers vs Pelicans betting line of +6 is generous for a team as good as the Clips, but playing the Pelicans on the road in the second game of a back-to-back makes life tough.
We could see the line move on game night.
Key Win for Pelicans
Beating the Clippers and winning the series 3-1 would be a big win for the Pelicans.
“It’s exhilarating to see our team lock in like we did,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said about their recent win over the Clippers. “Watching the Clippers over the last couple of months, they’ve been one of the best teams in the league, so it was great to see all of our guys lock in from the start. Just a wire-to-wire, high-discipline game.”
They could meet in the playoffs based on the current NBA playoff standings, so having that advantage is good for their mental preparation.
They were well-handled by the Cleveland Cavaliers 116-95 in their most recent game. However, they looked much better when winning their previous four NBA games, including wins over the Pacers, 76ers, and Hawks.
NBA betting odds are giving them plenty of respect because of their ATS record. They are 35-28-2 ATS and 17-14 ATS at home. That’s solid enough to gain support for bettors, and they have shown their quality credentials at times.
We don’t think they’re a better team than the Clippers, but it’s all about matchups. The Pelicans would love to play the Clippers in the NBA playoffs because they match up well, hence the current Clippers vs Pelicans betting line of -6.
Pelicans Set for Flight
Covering a -6 line isn’t easy, but there is good confidence with Clippers vs Pelicans betting lines.
They might have lost their last game, but we expect the Pelicans to perform at their best in front of a home crowd.
In their two previous wins over the Clippers, they won by a combined margin of 21 points. That’s a great form guide for this game, and we’re happy with the current line.
The over/under line is 222, and we’re locking in the over. Points could come freely for both sides, and the over would have cashed in two of their previous three meetings.
Williamson could be in for a big scoring game. The Pelicans big man averages 22.3 points per game, but we think he’ll score more than his average.
For NBA betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
