We’ve got another exciting Western Conference matchup on schedule as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans are set to tip at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at the Paycom Center. Oklahoma City is 3-1 overall and 1-1 at home, while New Orleans is 2-1 overall and finished last season 42-40. Both teams are hoping to take a significant step forward in the West this season with New Orleans getting Zion Williamson back from injury and the Thunder finally getting to see former No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren in action.
The two franchises have split their last 10 head-to-head meetings but the Thunder are 7-3 against the spread during that span. This time around, OKC is favored by 3.5 points in the latest Thunder vs. Pelicans odds, and the over/under is 227.5 points. Before entering any Pelicans vs. Thunder picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five seasons. The model enters Week 2 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a 77-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $3,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
The model has set its sights on Thunder vs. Pelicans. You can head to SportsLine to see its NBA picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pelicans vs. Thunder:
- Thunder vs. Pelicans spread: Thunder -3.5
- Thunder vs. Pelicans over/under: 227.5 points
- Thunder vs. Pelicans money line: Oklahoma City -165, New Orleans +140
- Thunder vs. Pelicans picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Thunder
Oklahoma City is coming off a 124-112 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday night at home. Budding superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 32 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals in the win, while Josh Giddey pitched in 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
After missing all of last season with a Lisfranc injury, Holmgren played 24 minutes and finished with 14 points, four rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals in the win. It is exactly the kind of stat-sheet stuffing night that Oklahoma City was hoping for when they selected the former Gonzaga star second overall in the 2022 NBA Draft. Second-year player Jaylin Williams (hamstring) is out for OKC, as is veteran Kenrich Williams (back).
What you need to know about the Pelicans
The Pelicans suffered their first loss of the season on Monday night with the Golden State Warriors going to New Orleans and winning 130-102. Williamson and CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 19 points each in the loss, but New Orleans was ultimately undone by shooting just 25.6% from the 3-point line in the game.
However, the New Orleans defense held the Knicks to just 87 points and the Grizzlies to 104 points over the first two games of the year, and head coach Willie Green will be hoping defense can anchor Wednesday’s performance. The Pelicans rank ninth in defensive rating (106.0) and seventh in eFG% (49.8) through the first week of the season. New Orleans is hoping to have Brandon Ingram (knee) available as he is questionable, while Trey Murphy III (knee), Naji Marshall (knee) and Jose Alvarado (ankle) are out. See which team to pick here.
How to make Thunder vs. Pelicans picks
The model has simulated Thunder vs. Pelicans 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick where one side hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
Who wins Pelicans vs. Thunder, and which side of the spread hits almost 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see the picks, all from the model that finished last year on a 77-41 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
