The New Orleans Pelicans (15-11) travel to face off against the San Antonio Spurs (4-20) on Sunday, December 17th. This game will be played at Frost Bank Center. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 3:30 ET.

Pelicans vs Spurs

The Pelicans Are Coming Off A Win

The Pelicans’ most recent matchup against the Hornets saw Jonas Valanciunas lead the Pelicans with 29 points while shooting 11/16 from the field. Zion Williamson also contributed 21 points as the Pelicans won by a score of 112-107 vs. the Hornets.

In order to stay above .500, the Pelicans will try to beat the Spurs today. So far this season, the Pelicans are 15-11 and have gone 10-9 against Western Conference teams. In non-conference play, they are 5-2.

In terms of the spread, New Orleans currently holds an ATS record of 15-11, which is above .500. This season, New Orleans has a 6-6 record against the spread when they are the favorites, and they are 9-5 as underdogs.

The Spurs Are Coming Off A Win

In their most recent game, the Spurs took down the Lakers by a score of 129-115. The Spurs were leading the game going into the second half 69-62.

So far this season, the Spurs are 4-20 overall and are looking to improve their record against the Pelicans. On the road, the Spurs are 2-9 compared to 2-11 at home.

San Antonio currently has an ATS record below .500, sitting at 10-14 at this point. In their two most recent home games, San Antonio has covered the spread and they are 6-7 ATS at home compared to 4-7 on the road.

Pelicans Offense Breakdown

New Orleans has recorded an average of 114.8 points per game (14th) throughout 26 games games. When looking at the team’s pace of play, the Pelicans are currently below the league average in possessions per game, averaging just 99.3 per contest. If the Pelicans offense is going to turn things around, they will need to either generate more possessions or improve their overall efficiency. Currently, they are just 21st ranked team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Spurs Offense Breakdown

Through 24 games games, San Antonio is averaging 110.6 points per game (25th). The Spurs come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 12.9 made 3’s per game. If the San Antonio offense is going to improve, they would benefit from attacking the basket and generating looks at the line. So far, they are ranked just 30th in made free-throws per game.

Pelicans Team Defense

At present, the Pelicans’ defense is ranked 15th, allowing 114.0 points per game.

When it comes to forced turnovers, the Pelicans are forcing 13.1 per game, which is 13th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 23rd in blocked shots at 4.5 per game.

Spurs Team Defense

Coming into today’s game, the Spurs’ defense is giving up an average of 121.2 points per contest.

On two point field goal attempts, the Spurs’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 55.8% and allowing 38.5% from beyond the arc.

Key Players For The Pelicans And Spurs

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Zion Williamson will be the primary scorer for the Pelicans, with 17 points and going 7/10 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 22.8 points per game, along with 5.8 rebounds.

On the other side, Devin Vassell is our projected leading scorer for the Spurs. We have him ending the game with a team-high 15 and grabbing 3 rebounds. This season, he has put together a field goal percentage of 47.6%, and he is contributing 18.5 points per game on average.

Pelicans vs Spurs Trends

• Across their ten previous road games, New Orleans has an ATS mark of 3-7. Their straight up record in these matchups was 4-6 while averaging 111 points per game.
• Across the Spurs last three home games, the team averaged 94 points per game while allowing 105. Their record vs the spread in these contests was 1-2, while going 0-3 straight-up.
• Spanning across their last three games as the betting underdog, the Spurs have gone 2-1 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, New Orleans has an ATS mark of 5-5 while going 6-4 straight up.

 

Pelicans vs Spurs Prediction

Not only do we have the Pelicans winning this one by a score of 118-105, but we see them covering the spread. Our pick is to grab the Pelicans at -7.5.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 238 and our model has the Pelicans and Spurs finishing with a combined 223 points. Our pick is to take the under.

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

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* 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.