New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Prediction, 4/29/2021 NBA Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder

Date: Thursday, April 29, 2021

Location: Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK

TV: Bally Sports Oklahoma

Odds/Point Spread: New Orleans (-10)

The Oklahoma City Thunder (21-41) play the New Orleans Pelicans (27-34) at Chesapeake Energy Arena on Thursday. The line on this contest has New Orleans as 10-point favorites. The over/under opens at 229.5.

The New Orleans Pelicans faced the Los Angeles Clippers and notched a win by a score of 120-103 in their last game. New Orleans ended the game having earned a 53.7% FG percentage (44 of 82) and buried 15 out of their 29 shots from distance. At the free throw line, the Pelicans made 17 of their 26 attempts for a rate of 65.4%. In reference to getting rebounds, they earned 44 with 8 of them being offensive. They also recorded 28 dimes in the game in addition to forcing 18 turnovers and getting 13 steals. In regard to defense, New Orleans allowed 40.0% from the field on 36 out of 90 shooting. Los Angeles totaled 20 dimes and had 5 steals for the matchup. Additionally, Los Angeles collected 44 boards (13 offensive, 31 defensive) and had 5 rejections. Los Angeles finished the contest at 100.0% from the free throw line by converting 17 of their 17 attempts. They knocked down 14 out of their 45 tries from distance.

Zion Williamson is one player who was a major factor for the matchup. He accounted for 23 points on 8 of 11 shooting. He was on the hardwood for 30:16 minutes and collected 1 rebound. Williamson finished the game at 72.7% from the floor and also earned 5 assists. Someone else that came through in this matchup for the Pelicans was Lonzo Ball. He grabbed 9 rebounds in his 37:47 minutes played. He ended up shooting 50.0% from the field for this game by shooting 7-of-14 (18 points). Overall, Ball tallied 7 assists.

New Orleans will play this game with a mark of 27-34 this season. The Pelicans are hitting 35.2% on shots from 3-point land (656 of 1,864) and 73.3% from the free throw line. They average 115.0 points per contest (5th in the NBA) while connecting on 48.2% from the floor. They are losing possession via turnover 14.5 times per game and as a group they commit 17.9 personal fouls on a nightly basis. As a unit, New Orleans is pulling down 47.0 boards per contest and has earned 1,591 dimes this year, which is 10th in the NBA in terms of passing the rock. Defensively, the Pelicans are forcing 13.0 turnovers per game and they draw 21.3 fouls. The Pelicans defense is giving up a FG percentage of 47.0% (794 of 1,302) and they surrender 41.0 boards per game as a basketball team. They are currently ranked 21st in the league in giving up assists to their opponents with 1,570 relinquished on the season. They surrender 38.6% on 3-point shots and they are ranked 26th in the league in PPG allowed (114.9).

The last time they took the court, the Oklahoma City Thunder got the victory with a final of 119-115 against the Boston Celtics. The Thunder were able to collect 41 defensive rebounds and 10 offensive boards for a total of 51 in this matchup. They also gave up possession 27 times, while getting 5 steals in the matchup. The Celtics earned 26 personal fouls for the game which got the Thunder to the charity stripe for a total of 36 shots. They were able to bury 28 of them for a percentage of 77.8%. When it comes to shooting from distance, Oklahoma City knocked down 13 of their 30 tries (43.3%). At the conclusion of this game, the Thunder finished shooting 39 out of 81 from the floor which gave them a percentage of 48.1%. The Thunder permitted the Celtics to convert 41 out of their 97 attempts from the field which gave them a shooting percentage of 42.3% for the matchup. They shot 22.4% from three-point range by going 11 of 49 and ended up going 22 of 25 at the free throw line (88.0%). Concerning cleaning the glass, Oklahoma City allowed Boston to grab 39 in all (8 on the offensive glass).

Luguentz Dort ended up being important for the Thunder in the matchup. He converted 5 of 14 in this contest for a rate of 35.7%, and had 4 rebounds. Dort earned 24 points in his 34:52 minutes on the hardwood and had 2 assists in the matchup. Someone else that played a role for Oklahoma City was Darius Bazley. He accumulated 4 assists in 37:43 mins on the hardwood, and he put in 8 out of 15 from the floor. Bazley ended the game having shot 53.3% from the field while also totaling 21 points and 10 total rebounds.

Oklahoma City has a record of 21-41 for the season. Oklahoma City has scored 6,543 pts for the campaign (105.5 per contest) and they pull in 45.4 boards per game. The Thunder are committing 18.2 fouls per contest and they go 73.1% from the free throw line. As an offensive unit, the Thunder are shooting 44.5% from the field, which ranks 27th in basketball. They are earning an assist 22.3 times per contest (27th in the NBA) and they are turning it over 16.4 times per game. The Thunder on defense are ranked 24th in the NBA in points allowed per contest with 114.8. The Oklahoma City defense concedes 35.9% from downtown (824 of 2,294) and opponents are making 76.9% of their shots from the free throw line. They have surrendered 25.4 assists and 47.0 boards per game, which ranks 20th and 27th in the NBA. They are forcing 13.1 turnovers on a nightly basis and have allowed teams to shoot 46.9% from the field (20th in the league).

Who will win tonight's NBA game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take New Orleans (-10)

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