New Orleans Pelicans vs Oklahoma City Thunder Picks and Predictions December 7th 2024

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At 7:00 ET, the Thunder (-305) will travel to New Orleans to take on the Pelicans (+249) in a Western Conference matchup. Oklahoma City is currently favored by 7.5 points and has won two straight games. The over/under line for this game is 225 points.

This game will be played at the Smoothie King Center and can be seen on Gulf TV. The Thunder are currently 17-5 and sit atop the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are 5-18 and are in 15th place in the West.

Thunder vs. Pelicans Key Information

  • Sport: NBA
  • Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder at New Orleans Pelicans
  • Where: New Orleans at Smoothie King Center
  • Date: Saturday, December 7th
  • Betting Odds OKC -7.5, OKC -305 | NO +249 O/U 225

The Thunder Can Win If…

The Thunder improved to 17-5 this season with a dominant 129-92 win over the Raptors on Thursday. Oklahoma City, favored by 10 points, easily covered the spread with a +37 margin. The total points for the game were 221, falling just short of the 227-point line.

A 13-0 run by the Thunder early in the game broke a 3-3 tie and set the tone for the rest of the night. They outscored the Raptors 34-17 in the 1st quarter and continued to pull away, leading 99-65 going into the 4th quarter.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to a 129-point performance against the Raptors, scoring 30 points, including 13 in the 1st quarter and 15 in the 3rd. Jalen Williams added 20 points, while Isaiah Joe contributed 16 points, hitting 4 threes at a 66.7% rate.

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Oklahoma City made 17 threes, shooting 36.2% from deep, and finished with an overall FG% of 48%. Ajay Mitchell scored 11 of his 13 points in the 4th quarter, while Kenrich Williams added 8 of his 13 points in the final period.

The Thunder put on a defensive clinic against the Raptors, holding them to just 92 points on Thursday. Oklahoma City set the tone early, allowing only 17 points in the 1st quarter and continued their strong play throughout, giving up 25, 23, and 27 points in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quarters, respectively.

Overall, the Thunder limited Toronto to 35% shooting, including just 24% from beyond the arc, where the Raptors hit only 11 threes. Oklahoma City also sent Toronto to the line 20 times, where they made 17 free throws. The Thunder grabbed 42 defensive rebounds, gave up 12 offensive boards, and added 15 steals and 11 blocks.

  • In their last three road games, Oklahoma City has averaged 115 points per game while allowing 101. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
  • Oklahoma City has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 4-1 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last five games.
  • Over their last three games, the Thunder have an over/under record of 2-1 and are 2-1 vs. the spread.

The Pelicans Can Win If…

New Orleans improved to 5-18 on the season with a 126-124 win over the Suns on Thursday. The Pelicans, who were +1.5 point underdogs, not only secured the win but also covered the spread. The game’s total of 250 points exceeded the O/U line of 223.5 by 26.5 points.

After an 11-0 run by the Suns in the 2nd quarter, New Orleans responded with a dominant 3rd quarter, outscoring Phoenix 45-28. The Pelicans entered the 4th quarter with a 99-93 lead and held on, despite being outscored 31-27 in the final period.

Brandon Ingram’s 21-point explosion in the 3rd quarter helped him finish with 29 points, leading the Pelicans to a 126-124 win over the Suns. Ingram shot 52.6% from the field and hit 3 threes at a 50% clip.

CJ McCollum added 25 points, including 13 in the 4th quarter, and also made 3 threes. Trey Murphy contributed 19 points, hitting 3 threes at 50% from deep. The Pelicans made 14 threes as a team, shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc and 49.5% overall.

Defensively, the Pelicans struggled, allowing 124 points on 50% shooting from the Suns. New Orleans gave up 33 points in the 1st quarter and 31 in the 4th, but they held Phoenix to 28 points in the 3rd.

The Pelicans allowed 17 threes on 37% shooting. They sent the Suns to the line 26 times, where they hit 21 free throws. New Orleans finished with 13 steals and 4 blocks.

  • Across the Pelicans last three home games, the team averaged 102 points per game while allowing 120. 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 Pelicans have gone 1-2 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-2.
  • In their last five games, the Pelicans have an over/under record of 1-4 and are 4-1 vs. the spread.

The Lean

Coming in as the underdogs at +7.5, we have the Pelicans as the way to go on the point spread. Not only do we have them covering, but our projections show they have a good one of winning this one straight-up, if you’re looking for a higher payout on the moneyline.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 225, and our model projects the Thunder and Pelicans to reach a combined total of 241 points. Our bet is on taking the over.

West-Leading Thunder Wary of Struggling Pelicans

The Oklahoma City Thunder, riding high atop the Western Conference, aim to maintain their momentum when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night.

Thunder Soaring

The Thunder (15-3) have won six of their last seven games, including a dominant 129-92 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Thursday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 30 points in just 30 minutes, emphasized the team’s consistent focus regardless of opponent records.

“It’s the NBA, the most talented players in the world,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You can’t slight anybody because they’ll beat you. I don’t ever play a team’s record. I go out there and give my all, and my teammates do the same thing.”

The Thunder led Toronto by as many as 34 points and set the tone early.

“I thought we were really ready to play from the jump,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “The guys really came in with a business-like approach.”

Pelicans End Losing Streak

New Orleans (5-16) snapped a nine-game losing streak on Thursday with a 126-124 home win against the Phoenix Suns. The Pelicans welcomed back key players Brandon Ingram (calf) and Herbert Jones (shoulder), helping them secure just their second win in 17 games.

Ingram scored 29 points, including 21 in a 45-point third quarter, the Pelicans’ highest-scoring period of the season. CJ McCollum, who returned from injury earlier this month, contributed 13 fourth-quarter points and dished out three assists to seal the win.

“I told my teammates we just needed to get one (win),” McCollum said. “If we play like that every night, we are going to have the chance to win a lot of games.”

Herbert Jones made a critical defensive stop, blocking Devin Booker’s 3-point attempt as time expired.

“Herb Jones is a leader,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “He exemplifies what our program is all about. Without him on the floor, we’re missing a lot. You could feel his presence from the time he stepped on the floor.”

Previous Meeting

Oklahoma City defeated New Orleans 106-88 in their first meeting this season on Nov. 13. The Pelicans were missing several starters in that game but are significantly healthier for Saturday’s rematch.

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Key Matchups

  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs. CJ McCollum: Both guards are primary offensive catalysts for their respective teams.
  • Brandon Ingram vs. Thunder Defense: Ingram’s return gives New Orleans a critical scoring option, but OKC’s team defense has been a strength.
  • Herbert Jones vs. Thunder Perimeter Shooters: Jones’ defensive presence will be crucial in slowing down OKC’s backcourt firepower.

What’s at Stake

For the Thunder, a win solidifies their position atop the Western Conference and maintains their strong form. For the Pelicans, building on the momentum of Thursday’s win could spark a turnaround in what has been a challenging season.

Tipoff is set for Saturday night in New Orleans, where the Pelicans will aim to prove they can compete with the conference’s best.

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