The New Orleans Pelicans (21-15) travel to face off against the Sacramento Kings (21-13) on Sunday, January 7th. This game will be played at Golden 1 Center. The Kings are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Pelicans are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Raptors. Tip-off is set for 6:00 ET.

Pelicans vs Kings

The Pelicans Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Pelicans were defeated by the Clippers in the most recent game, concluding with a score of 111-95. Despite being behind at halftime 56-41, the Pelicans picked up the win.

Coming into today’s action, the Pelicans have an overall record of 21-15 and have gone 2-1 in their last three games. At home, the Pelicans are 12-8 this season while going 9-7 on the road.

Against the spread, New Orleans are currently above .500, at 20-16 ATS. When playing on the road, the Pelicans hold an ATS record of 8-8 in contrast to a 12-8 record against the spread when playing at home.

The Kings Are Coming Off A Win

Domantas Sabonis scored 24 for Sacramento against the Raptors which was the most on the team. His field goal percentage for the game was 52%. The Kings picked up a 135-130 win, and De’Aaron Fox also added 24 points which was 2nd on the team.

Across their last ten games, the Kings are 6-4 and are 21-13 overall. Out of 34 games, they are 15-11 against Western Conference opponents and 6-2 versus non-conference teams.

Currently, Sacramento holds an above .500 ATS record of 18-16 so far this year. During this season, Sacramento has a 13-14 record against the spread as favorites and 5-2 as underdogs.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

The Pelicans come into today’s game as the 14th ranked scoring offense at 115.3 points per game. So far, the Pelicans are averaging 98.6 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. Not only does the team’s offense play at a slower pace, but they their overall lack of efficiency has them ranked 14th in made field goals per game.

Kings Offense Breakdown

Leading up to today’s matchup, the Kings are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 118.3 points per game (8th). The Kings come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 15.3 made 3’s per game. In addition to their strong outside shooting numbers, the team is playing at one of the fastest paces in the NBA, averaging 100.4 possessions per contest.

Pelicans Team Defense

Coming into today’s game, the Pelicans’ defense is giving up an average of 111.9 points per contest. When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Pelicans squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 55.8% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 33.8% from downtown.

Kings Team Defense

As they prepare for the upcoming game, the Kings is focused on shoring up their defense, as they are currently allowing an average of 117.5 points per game (22nd). The Sacramento defense has allowed opponents to shoot 37.6% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 48.6% of their field goal attempts vs. Sacramento.

Key Players For The Pelicans And Kings

Our game forecasts for today suggest that Brandon Ingram is set to be the main scorer for the Pelicans, recording 24 points and shooting 9/18 from the field. During this season, he is delivering an average of 22.5 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds.

On the other side, De’Aaron Fox is our projected leading scorer for the Kings. We have him ending the game with a team-high 26 and grabbing 4 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 47.5% and is averaging 29.2 points per contest.

Pelicans vs Kings Trends

• When looking at their past five road matchups, New Orleans has an ATS record of 4-1 while averaging 128 per game. The team went 5-0 overall in these games.
• In their last five home games, Sacramento has averaged 113 points per game while allowing 111. The team’s record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
• In their last five games as the betting underdog, the Pelicans have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their ATS record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
• Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Kings have gone 4-6 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 6-4.

Pelicans vs Kings Prediction

The Pelicans come in as the underdog at +3.5, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 235.5, and our model projects the Pelicans and Kings to reach a combined total of 229 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.