Oklahoma City (7-8) at New Orleans (8-8)
When: Monday, November 20th 2017
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: FSN Oklahoma, FSN New Orleans
Opening Odds: Oklahoma City -2.5/214.5
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get up to a $250 Deposit Bonus and to bet all the Web’s best NBA Basketball odds and props!
The New Orleans Pelicans will try and get their defense back on track when they begin a brief two-game homestand against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday night. The Pelicans defense has been smoked to the tune of 135.5 points per game in their last two – losses to Toronto and Denver. The good news is, they’ll get star power forward Anthony Davis back as he left Friday’s 146-114 loss in Denver after taking a shoulder to the face from Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. He was originally diagnosed with a concussion before clearing that diagnosis on Sunday and being diagnosed with a bruise of the orbital bone above his right eye instead. Davis, who is averaging two blocks and 1.5 steals to go with 25.1 points and 11 rebounds, is probable for Monday’s game. The Thunder had a three-game winning streak snapped on Friday night with a 104-101 setback in San Antonio and are still trying to find some consist chemistry with Paul George and Carmelo Anthony on the roster with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook. Anthony was the only one of the three to shoot 50% or better from the floor in Friday’s loss to the Spurs. Oklahoma City took all four meetings last season and six of the last seven.
Bet on basketball at Bovada and get a 50% bonus.
Westbrook has had to adjust his game quite a bit in order to accommodate former team scoring leaders Anthony and George, and he is struggling with his shooting as a result. Westbrook, who averaged 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.4 assists last season, is putting up 19.9 points, 9.5 assists and 8.2 boards so far in 2017-18. He went a dismal 5-of-22 from the floor in Friday’s setback and has shot 33.3% or worse from the floor in four of his last six games. George, meanwhile, has been on fire, nailing 16-of-33 from 3-point range over the last four games. The Thunder will host Golden State on Wednesday.
[ad id=’52352′]
Friday’s loss at Denver was the most points a team has let up this season in the NBA, and coach Alvin Gentry is not pleased. “It sucked. It sucked. It sucked,” Gentry told reporters. The Pelicans allowed the Nuggets to shoot 62.9% from the field in the loss and are 24th in the NBA in field-goal percentage defense on the season at 46.6%. The offense has been real good lately, though, scoring 106 or better in six straight games (3-3 record). Their 47.9% field goal shooting is fourth-best in the league, but are 25th in 3-point shooting at 34.6%. Former Purdue star E’Twuan Moore came off the bench on Friday to score 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and is 6-of-14 from beyond the arc over his last three games.
New Orleans has had a couple of days to figure out how to correct their defense, and I believe they’ll step it up on Monday against the Thunder. OKC could be caught looking ahead to their big home game against the Warriors on Wednesday and take this Pelicans team lightly.
Pick: Pelicans +2.5
- Thunder are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Thunder are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Thunder are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Thunder are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 vs. Western Conference.
- Thunder are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.
- Pelicans are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pelicans are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up loss.
- Pelicans are 4-11 ATS in their last 15 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Pelicans are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Pelicans are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- Pelicans are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games.
- Pelicans are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Pelicans are 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 Monday games.
- Pelicans are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Thunder last 4 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.
- Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 road games.
- Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 games following a straight up loss.
- Under is 5-1 in Thunder last 6 games following a ATS loss.
- Under is 13-3 in Thunder last 16 Monday games.
- Under is 19-6-1 in Thunder last 26 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 15-5 in Thunder last 20 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 19-7-1 in Thunder last 27 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Under is 17-7 in Thunder last 24 overall.
- Under is 43-18-1 in Thunder last 62 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Under is 14-6 in Thunder last 20 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Over is 6-1 in Pelicans last 7 vs. a team with a losing straight up record.
- Under is 5-1 in Pelicans last 6 Monday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Pelicans last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
- Under is 4-1 in Pelicans last 5 home games.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Pelicans last 5 vs. NBA Northwest.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Pelicans last 5 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
- Over is 54-25 in Pelicans last 79 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
- Over is 41-20 in Pelicans last 61 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
- Thunder are 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
- Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in New Orleans.
- Favorite is 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings.
- Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
- Thunder are 10-3 ATS in the last 13 meetings in New Orleans.
