LA Clippers vs New Orleans Pelicans 04/26/2021 NBA Odds, Preview, and Prediction

The LA Clippers look to stay hot as they head to the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans to take on the Pelicans on Monday night.

Los Angeles has won 11 out of its last 12 games played with its only loss during that period a 106-103 defeat at the hands of the Sixers. Since that loss, Los Angele has won four straight games including a 109-104 win over the hapless Rockets last Friday.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 4.5 games off 10th place and a shot at getting to the playoffs via the backdoor using the play-in tournament. New Orleans dropped a close 110-108 decision to the San Antonio Spurs at this same building last Saturday for their sixth loss in their last 10 games played.

LA Clippers

The LA Clippers are 43-19 on the season and they have the third-best record in the Western Conference. However, the Clippers are just two games behind the West and league leaders Utah Jazz. The Clippers have lost just once in their last dozen games and head to New Orleans with a four-game winning streak.

Paul George has averaged 32.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in his last seven games played while Ivica Zubac is putting up 11.9 points per game in his last 10 games for the Clippers. The Clippers will be without Kawhi Leonard, Serge Ibaka, and Patrick Beverley while Rajon Rondo is listed as day to day.

Los Angeles is the 6th highest-scoring team in the NBA at 114.9 points per game scored. They are ranked 6th overall in scoring defense at 109.1 points per game allowed. The Clippers are 13th off the glass with an average of 44.4 rebounds per game and they are 17th in passing at 24.5 assists per game.

New Orleans Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are 26-34 on the season and they are just in 11th place in the team standings. New Orleans is 4.5 games behind the 10th seeded Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs for the final spot in the play-in tournament. The Pelicans have dropped six out of their last 10 games played.

Zion Williamson is averaging 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in his last 10 games played while Brandon Ingram is putting up 23.9 points and five assists per game in his last 10 assignments. Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker are out due to injury while big man Steven Adams is listed as day to day.

The Pelicans are the 5th best scoring team in the league at 115.0 points per game this season. New Orleans ranks 25th in scoring defense at 115.1 points per game allowed. They are also 10th in passing at 26.1 assists per game and are the third-best rebounding team in the league at 47.0 boards grabbed per contest.

Who Wins?

The Clippers are 11-1 SU in their last 12 games played. Los Angeles is 6-1 SU in their last seven games played on the road, 12-5 SU in their last 17 games played against the Western Conference. The Pelicans are 1-5 SU in their last six games played. New Orleans is 4-1 SU in their last five games against the Pacific Division, and 9-8 SU in 17 home games against the Western Conference.

New Orleans was touted as a playoff threat before the start of the season. But the month of April is almost over and they are barely in contention for the Play-in tournament in the Western Conference. Zion Williamson has been putting up impressive numbers but they have been empty as the Pelicans continue to tumble in the team standings.

The Clippers cannot keep on winning at this pace but it’s hard to see the inconsistent Pelicans as the team to finally knock them off the perch. I expect another big game from PG13 who has put up seven 30-point games in his last eight outings. Give me the Clippers to stay red hot here as they chase the 3rd seeded Suns.

Prediction: LA Clippers

Other Bets To Make

Los Angeles is 14-5-1 ATS in their last 20 games played. The Clippers are 11-4-1 ATS in their last 16 games after an SU win, 38-16 ATS in their last 54 games after an ATS loss, 11-5-1 ATS in their last 17 games after allowing 100+ points in their previous game, and 4-0 ATS in their last four Monday games.

New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in their last six games played. The Pelicans are 2-5 ATS in their last seven games played at home, 4-10 in their last 14 games against an opponent with a winning road percentage greater than .600. They are also 1-6 ATS in their last seven games when playing on one day rest, and 1-5 ATS in their last six games against an opponent with a winning SU record.

Head to head, the Pelicans are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games played against the Clippers. New Orleans is also 21-7 ATS in their last 28 meetings in New Orleans.

The Clippers continue to pile up both straight and ATS victories. Los Angeles. has won its last five games by an average winning margin of 6.8 points per game and has been winning on the road by an average of five points per game. The Pelicans have all the potential in the world but have not been able to translate them to wins. Give me the red hot Clippers to cover this reasonable chalk.

Prediction: LA Clippers -2

The total has gone under in five out of the last six games played by the Clippers. The under is 5-1 in their last six games after an ATS loss, 5-1 in their last six games after scoring more than 100 points in their previous game, and 4-1 in their last five games played after an SU win.

The total has gone over in four out of the last six games played by the Pelicans. The over is 6-2 in their last eight games after a straight-up loss, 26-10 in their last 36 games when playing on one day rest, 22-8 in their last 30 games after an ATS loss. New Orleans has seen the total go under in 23 out of their last 31 home games.

Head to head, the total has gone over in five out of the last six meetings between these two teams. The over is also 4-0 in the last four meetings in New Orleans.

These teams have combined to average of 239.2 points per game in their last 10 head-to-head meetings and 230.2 points per game in their most recent three head-to-head encounters. The Pelicans allow the 6th most points per game this season at 115.1 points per game and that isn’t going to work against a Clippers team that is in the Top 5 in the NBA in scoring points. Give me these teams to play to the over.

Prediction: Over 227.5

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