The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night for a Western Conference battle at Crypto.com Arena. The Pelicans (24-36) have lost four of their last six games, but they’re 7-0 against the spread in their last seven contests on the road. The Lakers (27-32), meanwhile, have lost four of their last five games, but Los Angeles has won five straight at home against New Orleans.
Tip-off is at 10 pm ET in Los Angeles. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Lakers as 1.5-point favorites, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 223 in the latest Lakers vs. Pelicans odds. Before you make any Pelicans vs. Lakers picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
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 three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 69-41 roll on all top-rated NBA picks, returning almost $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set his sights on Lakers vs. Pelicans, and just locked in their picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Pelicans vs. Lakers:
- Pelicans vs. Lakers spread: Los Angeles -1.5
- Pelicans vs. Lakers over-under: 223 points
- Pelicans vs. Lakers money line: Los Angeles -120, New Orleans +100
- LAL: The Lakers are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games following an ATS loss
- NO: The Pelicans are 7-0 ATS in their last seven road games
Featured Game | Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Why the Lakers can cover
Forward LeBron James is still one of the best players in the league in his 19th season. James is third in the NBA in scoring at 28.9 points per game, to go along with eight rebounds and 6.4 assists. The four-time NBA champion is a consistent stud on both sides of the floor. He is shooting 52 percent from the field and 35 percent from downtown. James had a 23-game stretch in which he scored at least 25 points this season.
The four-time MVP also knows how to find open looks for his teammates. James has dished out at least eight assists in 12 games thus far. The 18-time NBA All-Star was all over the floor in the Feb. 5 overtime win against the New York Knicks, recording 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Plus, the Lakers are 5-0 in their last five home games against the Pelicans.
Why the Pelicans can cover
Center Jonas Valanciunas has been extremely productive down low for New Orleans. He is currently sixth in the NBA in rebounding (11.6), while scoring 18 points per game. The 2011 fifth-overall pick has recorded three double-doubles over his past five games. In his last outing, Valanciunas tallied 18 points and 17 rebounds.
Guard Devonte’ Graham provides New Orleans with some scoring in the backcourt. He averages 12.9 points and 4.4 assists. The Kansas product has scored at least 20 points in eight games thus far. On Jan. 24 against the Indiana Pacers, Graham finished with 25 points, three rebounds, and five assists. He also knocked down five 3-pointers.
How to make Pelicans vs. Lakers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 227 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Lakers vs. Pelicans? And which side of the spread hits well over 50 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on Sunday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism