The Western Conference regular season champion Oklahoma City Thunder take on the New Orleans Pelicans as we pick the best Pelicans vs. Thunder player props based on the best NBA odds.
On Sunday, the No. 8 seed New Orleans Pelicans will take on the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series. The game is set to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET (TNT) from Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla.
Interestingly, despite the road team winning all three games in the regular season series, our best sports betting sites have the Thunder favored by 8.5 points for Sunday's matchup.
To accompany our 2024 NBA Playoffs betting preview, here are our best Pelicans vs. Thunder player props and NBA picks (odds via our best NBA betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 1 player props
- Shai Gilgeous Alexander Under 1.5 made 3-pointers (-125 via DraftKings) ????
- Chet Holmgren Over 8.5 rebounds (+102 via FanDuel) ????
- CJ McCollum Over 21.5 points (-105 via DraftKings) ????
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Pelicans vs. Thunder prop bet predictions for Sunday
Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA's third-leading scorer, yet he does almost all of his damage from inside the 3-point line. For the season, he averaged just 1.3 made 3-pointers per game while only attempting 3.6.
In his final two games of the regular season, he went 0-of-11 from deep, and he's only made more than one 3- pointer in one of his last eight games. In three games against the Pelicans this season, he's just 4-of-16 from deep. And in the regular season, the Pelicans had the second-best 3-point defense in the league.
Best odds: -125 via DraftKings
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Holmgren averaged 7.9 rebounds per game during the regular season. However, he had two great games against the Pelicans, compiling 13 and nine rebounds. He ended the season pulling down at least nine rebounds in four of his last five games, including nine in just 12 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Thunder have the third-best shooting defense in the NBA, while the Pelicans are in the top 10 in shooting. The Thunder's defense will make them miss more than they usually do. That will greatly help Holmgren on his way to this over.
FanDuel is offering +102 while our other best sports betting apps list it at -115 or worse.
Best odds: +102 via FanDuel
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McCollum combined for just 16 points in the Pelicans' two Play-In games. However, he scored at least 25 points in his last seven regular season games. He averaged 20.0 points per game this season and a big reason for that success was his play in the final quarter of the year.
This number is lower than it would have been had he at least scored in double figures in the two Play-In games. Because we're getting a lower price than it should be for better than -110, the over is the obvious play.
Best odds: -105 via DraftKings
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Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 1 info & odds
- When: Sunday, April 21
- Tip-off: 9:30 p.m. ET
- Wher e: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Okla.
- How to watch: TNT
- Favorite: Thunder -8.5 (-105 via DraftKings)
Pelicans vs. Thunder player props made Sunday at 1:04 p.m. ET.
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