Free NBA Pick: Pelicans vs. Clippers NBA Odds
Looking for OKC Thunder vs. LA Clippers free NBA picks & NBA odds? NBA betting sees the Pelicans taking on the Clippers on Friday, April 15th, 2022, 2022 at Crypto.com Arena. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all NBA basketball matchups so stay tuned for more FREE daily NBA hoops predictions like this Pelicans Clippers matchup.
2022 NBA Play-In Handicapping
(37-46) OKC Thunder vs. LA Clippers (42-41)
Date: Friday, April 15th, 2022
Time: 10:00 PM EST
Venue: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California
NBA Moneyline Odds: Pelicans +163 | Clippers -167 (Bet Now!)
NBA Betting Odds: Clippers -4
NBA Betting Total: 215.5
Friday, April 15th, 2022 the New Orleans Pelicans and the LA Clippers play the final Western Conference play-in game to determine the eighth seed who’ll face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the opening round of the playoffs.
The Clippers finished ranked eighth and arrive at this match following a 104- 109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves who secured the seventh seed and a date with the Memphis Grizzlies.
New Orleans arrives having defeated the Spurs (113-103) in the 10 vs. 9 single-game elimination play-in game.
The Pelicans won the 2021-22 regular-season series 3-1 with victories occurring on November 19th (94-81), November 29th (123-104), and January 13th (113-89) while the Clippers won the last match on April 3rd (119-100).
This is the first time these two clubs have ever met in the postseason.
New Orleans Pelicans
The addition of CJ McCollum had a profound impact on his new team providing the necessary leadership and a calm presence. In their victory versus the Spurs McCollum put his stamp on the game outscoring the Spurs starters 27 to 25 in the first half.
The veteran guard finished with 32 points, seven assists, and six rebounds while hitting 3 of 5 perimeter shots.
That the Pelicans are even in this position is a testament to their resiliency after losing 12 of their first 13 games to start the season and not having star Zion Williamson the entire season.
In his first season as the Pelicans’ head coach, Willie Green made a palpable impact getting his young squad to improve and grow and reaped the benefits down the stretch when they won seven of their final 11 matches.
Regardless of what happens in the final play-in game of 2022, this squad has established a solid core of Brandon Ingram, McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas and will only get stronger next season when Williamson returns.
Williamson (foot) is out indefinitely and Kira Lewis Jr. (ACL) is lost for the season.
LA Clippers
Although having Paul George back definitely boosted the Clippers’ overall success it’s notable he played in three of the four matches versus the Pelicans this season with a single victory in those contests.
PG didn’t struggle versus New Orleans but produced below his season averages in each stat category: 20.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals.
In the four-game 2021-22 regular-season series, the Clippers averaged a meager 98.2 points shooting 43.7 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from the perimeter.
In the loss to the Wolves, the Clippers held a double-digit lead and uncharacteristically coughed it up late. Paul George took a while to get into a rhythm finishing with 34 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
The trio of Reggie Jackson (17), Norman Powell (16), and Marcus Morris Sr. (12) were the other double-figure contributors.
Luke Kennard (hamstring) is questionable for Friday. Jason Preston (foot) and Kawhi Leonard (knee) are out indefinitely. Jay Scrubb (toe) is lost for the season.
NBA Betting Trends:
- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of New Orleans’ last 14 games.
- The Clippers are 4-2 ATS in their last 6 games.
- New Orleans is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games against LA Clippers.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of the Clippers’ last 5 games.
- The Pelicans are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 road games.
- The Clippers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games as a favorite.
Free New Orleans Pelicans vs. LA Clippers NBA Prediction:
Although the Clippers arguably have the best player (George), the Pelicans’ strengths feed directly into the Clippers’ weaknesses. To wit, New Orleans ranks third in offensive rebounding (12.0), seventh in steals (8.3), and third in second-chance scoring (15.0).
In contrast, LA ranks dead last for opponents’ second-chance points scored (15.1) and are middling on the defensive glass. However, the Clippers rank third in 3-point efficiency (37.4%) versus the Pelicans 26th ranked 3-point defense (36.5%).
Winning on the road was an early Achilles heel of the Pelicans who finished with a 17-24 road record, however, performed much better after the break (6-5).
Every home team has won through the four play-in games but the Pelicans have a decided edge over the Clippers. Ty Lue is one of the best at planning and adapting for his opponents but ultimately it might come down to which team’s core produces the best.
I’m taking the Pels not just to cover but pull off the upset and partially basing that on rookie Herb Jones being a defensive factor — we’ll see.
4* Free NBA Betting Pick: Pelicans +4
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