New Orleans Pelicans at Golden State Warriors
Time: 10:30 PM ET (TNT)
Spread: GSW -10
Total: 215
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The New Orleans Pelicans were the new kids on the block in the 2015 postseason, but sneaking into the playoffs and having an MVP candidate in Anthony Davis is not enough to strike fear into the defending champion Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors have won 14 of the last 15 against Davis and the Pelicans and the teams will open their seasons in the second game of a double-header on TNT.
The Warriors simply have a lot of weapons. Curry finished No. 6 in the NBA in scoring last year with 23.8 points per game, and he knocked down 44.3 percent from behind the arc. 2-guard Klay Thompson was good for 43.9 percent, and the duo was the league’s highest scoring backcourt.
The tandem is nearly unstoppable when both Curry and Thompson are feeling it, and most can harken back to Thompson’s 37-point quarter for proof that the “Splash Brothers” are a pair of gunners that cannot be taken lightly.
Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry comes from the Warriors staff, and he was last head coach in Phoenix from 2009 to 2013. The Warriors will have Luke Walton coaching this game as Steve Kerr rests a surgically repaired back. Walton said of the opportunity, “It’s going to be awesome. I think it’s great he (Gentry) going to be out there when we get our rings…it’s always fun battling friends and people that you know.”
Gentry will have the league’s premier postman in Davis. Davis finished No. 4 in the league in scoring last year at 24.4 points per game. He led the league in blocked shots with 2.9 per game and his defense alone can transform a game. Davis is capable of closing gaps and covering an immense amount of space. But can he cover the Pelicans injuries?
Tyreke Evans is out, and Jrue Holiday has minutes restrictions. But if the Pelicans are to keep this game close, Holiday is going to have to play decent minutes. He is said to be limited to 20, and his surgically repaired legs “feels fine” according to Holiday.
However, he has played just 74 games the past two seasons, so the Pelicans will need to exercise caution to avoid putting him back on the shelf. He is the No. 2 option when healthy, but the Pelicans will rely on Eric Gordon for a lot of the ball handling in the interim.
Evans, too, will shoulder that load but he is out for the next six-to-eight weeks recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. Norris Cole is battling an ankle injury, too, so the Pelicans are really going to have a lot of trouble with the point guard position until Holiday is back fully healthy. Given that Evans typically helped with that last year while Holiday was out, the Pelicans will need to find a new strategy.
Going against the best backcourt in the NBA will hardly do it any favors.
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ATS TRENDS
New Orleans
Pelicans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Pacific.
Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall.
Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Pelicans are 10-4 ATS in their last 14 Tuesday games.
Pelicans are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games.
Golden State
Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Warriors are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Warriors are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.
Warriors are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games overall.
Warriors are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Tuesday games.
OU TRENDS
New Orleans
Under is 5-1-1 in Pelicans last 7 vs. NBA Pacific.
Under is 5-1-1 in Pelicans last 7 road games.
Under is 6-2-1 in Pelicans last 9 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 8-3-1 in Pelicans last 12 overall.
Under is 8-3-1 in Pelicans last 12 vs. Western Conference.
Golden State
Over is 3-0-1 in Warriors last 4 games after scoring more than 125 points in their previous game.
Over is 3-0-1 in Warriors last 4 games following a SU win of more than 10 points.
Under is 8-1-2 in Warriors last 11 home games.
Under is 5-1 in Warriors last 6 Tuesday games.
Under is 10-2 in Warriors last 12 vs. Western Conference.
Under is 4-1 in Warriors last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
Under is 13-4-1 in Warriors last 18 overall.
Over is 3-1-1 in Warriors last 5 games following a S.U. win.
Over is 3-1-1 in Warriors last 5 games following a ATS win.
Under is 9-3-2 in Warriors last 14 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 44-19-1 in Warriors last 64 vs. NBA Southwest.
