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The New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder meet in Game 2 of a best-of-7 Western Conference, 1st-round series Wednesday. The Thunder lead the series 1-0. Tip-off from Paycom Center is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Pelicans vs. Thunder odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions.
The 8th-seeded Pelicans covered as 8.5-point underdogs in Game 1, but the host Thunder came away with the 94-92 victory Sunday as the Under (216.5) hit.
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 28 points for the top-seeded Thunder, who snapped a 4-game against-the-spread (ATS) winning streak. Gilgeous-Alexander scored the go-ahead bucket with 32 seconds remaining, handing New Orleans its 3rd loss in its last 4 games.
Oklahoma City is 3-0 straight up and 2-1 ATS vs. New Orleans in the last 3 head-to-head meetings, and the Under has hit in 6 of the last 9.
Pelicans at Thunder odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:47 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Pelicans +260 (bet $100 to win $260) | Thunder -350 (bet $350 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Pelicans +7.5 (-110) | Thunder -7.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 211.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Pelicans at Thunder key injuries
Pelicans
- F Zion Williamson (hamstring) out
Thunder
- None
For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.
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Pelicans at Thunder picks and predictions
Prediction
Thunder 106, Pelicans 103
Moneyline
The Thunder (-350) are 34-8 at Paycom Center this season after Sunday’s win, good for the 3rd-best home record in the NBA. The Pelicans, even if they have a lead, will most likely struggle to close this game out without their leading scorer in Williamson (22.9 points per game).
However, it’s a losing proposition long term to bet -350 favorites in the NBA.
PASS. Bet the spread and/or total instead.
Against the spread
The Thunder are among the weaker No. 1 seeds in recent memory, due to their lack of playoff experience. Typically, the No. 1 seed in the better conference wouldn’t be +1400 at BetMGM Sportsbook to win the NBA Finals. The Thunder avoided the upset in Game 1, but they haven’t been downgraded enough for their performance.
The Pelicans have veterans like G CJ McCollum and C Jonas Valanciunas, who have made postseason runs with the Portland Trail Blazers and Toronto Raptors, respectively. Give me the veterans catching 7.5 points against the youngest No. 1 seed in NBA history — the average age on the Thunder is 23.4 years old.
BET PELICANS +7.5 (-110).
Over/Under
The Under has been cashing regularly in Pelicans-Thunder matchups, and Game 1 was no exception. These teams play each other tight, and without Williamson on the floor, I expect Game 2 to unfold in a similar fashion to Sunday night’s low-scoring affair.
BET UNDER 211.5 (-110).
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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