The No. 9 seed New Orleans Pelicans square off with the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Clippers Friday in an elimination game for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs to play the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns. Tip-off at the Crypto.com Arena in L.A. is set for 10 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we look at the Pelicans vs. Clippers odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
NOLA advanced to this game by beating the 10th-seed San Antonio Spurs 113-103 at home Wednesday, covering as a 5-point favorite.
L.A. stumbled into this winner-take-all game by losing to the 7th-seeded Timberwolves 109-104 in Minnesota Tuesday. The Clippers were 3-point underdogs in the loss.
The Pelicans beat the Clippers 3-1 during the regular season and covered the spread in all 4 games, while the O/U went 1-3.
Pelicans at Clippers odds and lines
- Money line (ML): Pelicans +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Clippers -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Pelicans +3.5 (-105) | Clippers -3.5 (-120)
- Over/Under: 215.5 (O: -108 | U: -112)
Pelicans at Clippers key injuries
Pelicans
- PF Zion Williamson (foot) out
Clippers
- SG Luke Kennard (hamstring) questionable
- SF Kawhi Leonard (knee) out
Pelicans at Clippers picks and predictions
Prediction
Clippers 110, Pelicans 104
Money line
PASS with a heavy “lean” toward the Clippers (-175) because I like them to win outright, but this ML price is a little too rich for my blood.
The Pelicans are arguably more talented than the Clippers sans Kawhi since New Orleans acquired SG CJ McCollum around the trade deadline.
However, L.A. has more continuity, better coaching, more big-game experience and the best player on the floor in SG Paul George.
New Orleans turned its season around after opening 1-12, but Los Angeles has a better record and non-garbage time net rating since the All-Star Game, according to CleaningTheGlass.com.
L.A. is the right side, but the price (-175) is too expensive.