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New Orleans Pelicans (8-7) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (6-7)
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers are set to face off in a captivating Western Conference showdown this Friday night. The Pelicans, currently on a roll with four wins in their last five games, are looking to maintain their momentum. Meanwhile, the Clippers are also in fine form, riding a three-game winning streak.
New Orleans, holding an 8-7 straight-up record and an impressive 9-5-1 against the spread (ATS), recently secured back-to-back victories against the Sacramento Kings, covering the spread in both games. On the other side, the Clippers, with a 6-7 straight-up record and 5-8 ATS, managed to sweep their recent back-to-back games against San Antonio, although they only covered the spread in one of those matchups. < /p>
This game marks the first encounter between the Pelicans and the Clippers this season. The action is set to unfold at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with the Clippers entering as 5.5-point favorites. The total points for the game are set at 224, promising an exciting and potentially high-scoring affair.
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The New Orleans Pelicans are riding a wave of success, having secured victories in four of their last five games, marking their strongest performance stretch this season. A key factor in this uptick has been the extra effort from Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who have been focusing on late-game scenarios during practice. Their hard work is clearly yielding results.
“Both of those guys have been working diligently with the coaching staff,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Just working on chemistry together in the middle of the floor for moments like that.”
In their recent clash against the Sacramento Kings, Williamson led the charge with 25 points, while Ingram contributed 21, help ing the Pelicans to a 117-112 victory. This win was particularly noteworthy as they managed to bounce back after nearly relinquishing a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Jonas Valanciunas also played a pivotal role, delivering a solid double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
The Pelicans' victory over the Kings, which was a repeat of their success in a previous encounter, was not without its challenges. Despite struggling from beyond the arc, missing 23 out of 30 attempts from three-point range, they compensated with a dominant inside game, outscoring the Kings 62-28 in the paint. Additional contributions came from Jordan Hawkins and Naji Marshall, who added 13 and 12 points, respectively, rounding off a well-fought team victory.
The New Orleans Pelicans have been showcasing a balanced performance this season, with their offense averaging 113.5 points per game, placing them 17th in the NBA. Their shooting efficiency is notable, with a 47.4% success rate from the field and a 35.9% accuracy from beyond the arc. The team is also making an average of 11.4 three-pointers per game, complemented by their 25.5 assists per game, which ties them for 16th in the league.
Defensively, the Pelicans are allowing an average of 113.9 points per game. Opponents are shooting 46.1% against them from the field and 31.8% from three-point range. One area of concern is their -1.4 rebound differential, with the team averaging 44.5 rebounds per game, including 10.5 on the offensive end. However, they are compensating with solid defensive plays, averaging 7.9 steals and 4.5 blocks per game, and forcing their opponents into 13.4 turnovers per game.
Key contributors include Brandon Ingram, who is averaging 24 points and 5.3 rebounds, and Zion Williamson, with an average of 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds. CJ McCollum continues to be a reliable scorer, while Jonas Valanciunas is a strong presence on the boards, averaging 8.9 rebounds per game.
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