New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder
Time: 8:05 PM ET
Spread: OKC -4.5
Total: 195
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder are wrapping up the second of a back to back sequence against one another. The first meeting on Wed (Feb 4) night saw the Thunder win 102-91 at the Smoothie King Center in Louisiana. For this second meeting, online NBA betting shows the Thunder as 4.5 point favorites at Bovada.
The total is set low for this game, at 195. Given that the total for the first matchup was about that (103), the line seems very reasonable. To learn how NBA odds work, click here.
The Pelicans were dealt a blow when they lost Jrue Holiday indefinitely due to a leg injury. Tierce Evans and Eric Gordon have sought to pick up the slack in the backcourt, but Holiday is a one-time All-Star and big playmaker. Evans played the point his rookie season in Sacramento, though, when he became just the fifth NBA rookie to average 20 points, five assists and five rebounds per game for a full season.
Evans struggled badly last game, though, hitting 5 of 20 from the floor to finish with 11 points, seven assists and seven boards. He has the multi-dimensional talent to stuff stat sheets, but it is a matter of whether or not he can guide a winning ball club.
At this point, though, he is the best option New Orleans has to put the ball in the hands of a playmaker. Gordon has shown his flashes of looking like the player he was with the Clippers, but it is clear that those are just flashes. He shot 3 of 12 in the loss and though he had seven assists, he also nearly fouled out. Ryan Anderson’s play will be huge off the bench, as the best shooter on the Pelicans team. Anthony Davis’ strong play is a near given, however, and he covers a multitude of sins by his teammates defensively.
Davis is more than a rim protector, but an entire court protector. The shots he doesn’t block, he changes, and offensive players are perpetually stunting themselves by looking for him over the shoulder. His effect on a defense is nearly indescribable and what has put New Orleans right in the chase for getting that eighth seed in the West. The Pelicans trail Phoenix by one game, and OKC is right behind New Orleans by one game.
This game is absolutely vital for both teams, as strange as it seems to say about a game in early February. The West is still rather open, though the gap between Phoenix and seventh seeded San Antonio is a substantial four games. New Orleans wants to get within striking distance of a higher seed than 8, because everyone is trying to avoid the red hot Warriors. However, if the best the Pellies can do is sneak into the playoffs, it would still exceed the expectations of the vast majority of fans and analysts prior to the season.
The Thunder now really evenly split the scoring load between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. At one time, Durant took the bulk of the shots, but now Westbrook attempts 20.5 and Durant takes 17.2 (Kevin gets to the line 5.5 times per game vs Westbrook’s 3.5). The difference is that Durant is much more efficient, hitting 51.1 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from three, while Westbrook is 43 percent and an atrocious 26 percent from behind the arc (Yet he still takes 3.5 per game, inexplicably).
For OKC to get back where it was, following the extended time missed by both Durant and Westbrook, it will have to get more from its supporting cast and get the ball out of Westbrook’s hand some. The best chance to make both happen at once is for Reggie Jackson to get going. He stepped up while Westbrook was out and is averaging 13.2 points per game in just 28 minutes a night.
Jackson is another gunner much like Westbrook, but when he is able to draw some attention away, it makes the offense flow smoother, though he is often kept for the second unit. Serge Ibaka has kind of stalled out as a player. He’s good, but it seems that his talents should dictate that he is an All-Star, while really at this point he is still a niche performer.
Ibaka can shoot the ball and is one of the best defenders in the NBA. On some level, it seems Ibaka could easily become a defensive minded version of Chris Bosh, but Serge has become so patterned in his deference to the Thunder’s two superstars. He’ll be called on heavily tonight to help mitigate the dominance of Anthony Davis. If anyone in the league has a chance, it’s Ibaka.
Injured:
Out– Jrue Holiday (leg), G, NOP
Probable- Kevin Durant (toe), F, OKC
Questionable- Perry Jones (ankle), F, OKC
