Spurs vs. Pelicans Betting Line: Playoffs on the Line for New Orleans
Carrie Stroup here with the Spurs vs. Pelicans betting line and a critical game for New Orleans as their Playoffs hopes still remain alive.
Sportsbook.ag Line: San Antonio -6.0, Total: 193.5
The Spurs will be going for their 12th straight victory when they head to New Orleans and face a Pelicans team that would make the playoffs with a victory.
The Spurs faced Phoenix on Sunday and won 107-91 as 17-point home favorites. San Antonio has now won 11 straight games SU and the team has covered in nine of those games. This team is red-hot at the right time and still needs to win on Wednesday for their playoff seeding not to suffer.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, must win this game and if they do then they’ll be playing against the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. New Orleans faced Minnesota as a 14.5-point road favorite on Monday and won 100-88.
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These teams have met twice this season and the Pelicans have won-and-covered in two of the games and are 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS overall on the year. The Spurs, however, won the most recent meeting 95-93 as 5-point home favorites. Over the past three seasons, the Spurs are 8-3 SU but just 3-8 ATS when facing this Pelicans team.
San Antonio is 70-51 ATS after playing two consecutive games as a favorite over the past two seasons. New Orleans, however, is 9-1 ATS after failing to cover in four or five of its past six games this season. PF Matt Bonner (Calf) is expected to miss the game Wednesday and C Tiago Splitter (Calf) is out indefinitely for San Antonio. PG Jrue Holiday (Leg) is probable for the Pelicans.
The Spurs are the hottest team in basketball and enter a big game on Wednesday in New Orleans. SF Kawhi Leonard (16.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.3 SPG) has been the most dominant two-way player in the league recently and is averaging 21.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.8 SPG over the past five contests. Leonard is shooting the ball extremely well lately, hitting 46.2% of his outside shots over the past five games and he is truly one of the toughest players to plan for when he is playing this well offensively.
PF Tim Duncan (13.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.0 BPG) has also been playing extremely well recently, averaging 25.5 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 2.5 BPG and 1.5 SPG over the past two games. Duncan will be matched up against Anthony Davis in this game and he must find a way to stay productive on both ends of the floor. He has been one of the best defensive players in the league this season, but stopping Davis is a whole different animal.
PG Tony Parker (14.2 PPG, 4.9 APG) is going to have to get himself back on track with the playoffs beginning so soon. Parker has just 12 points in his past 54 minutes on the court and that is not going to cut it for this team in the postseason. He did torch the Pelicans in his only meeting with the team this season and this could be just what he needs for his confidence. Parker had 28 points in 34 minutes the last time he faced this team and will look to repeat that success Wednesday.
The Pelicans need to beat the Spurs on Wednesday in order to make the playoffs and PF Anthony Davis (24.3 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 2.9 BPG, 1.5 SPG) is going to need to have a big game for that to happen. Davis had 24 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and two steals against the Timberwolves on Monday and is doing everything he can to carry this team. In three games against San Antonio this season, Davis is averaging 23.3 PPG, 11.7 RPG and 4.0 BPG. He’ll need to win his matchup with Tim Duncan in this game.
SF Tyreke Evans (16.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.2 SPG) has struggled against San Antonio this season, averaging just 14.7 PPG on 34.9% shooting from the field in three games. He’ll need to be more effective in this game on Wednesday.
SG Eric Gordon (16.8 PPG) has shot the ball really well from the outside lately, knocking down 7-of-16 threes over the past two games. He’ll need to hit some shots against San Antonio in order to space the floor. PG Jrue Holiday (14.9 PPG, 6.9 APG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG) is recovering from a stress injury in his leg, but he could help this team if he is able to play a few minutes. In 15 minutes against Houston on Sunday, Holiday had 17 points and two steals.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
