Battle for the 7th Seed in the West | Lakers vs. Pelicans | OSB
NBA Play-In: Los Angeles Lakers (47-35) at New Orleans Pelicans (49-33)
By Sam Batz
When: Tuesday, April 16th at 7:30 PM EST
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Watch On: TNT
Matchup: Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The NBA’s Play-In Tournament begins on Tuesday with a Western Conference matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers are in 8th place, while the Pelicans are in 7th. The winner will move on to the playoffs as the 7-seed, where they will face the 2-seed Denver Nuggets, while the loser will go on to face the winner of the 9th versus 10th place game. A loss here is not a death sentence, just ask the Miami Heat who lost their first play-in game last season only to reach the NBA Finals as the 8th seed, but a win does secure a spot in the playoffs. Oddsmakers have the spread set at just 1-point, meaning the fight for the 7th seed in the West could go either way.
Below you’ll find all of our picks for the Lakers vs. Pelicans play-in game, including stats, scores, and betting advice. We’ll help you navigate the odds and provide helpful betting tips for Tuesday’s matchup between the Lakers and Pelicans.
Lakers vs. Pelicans Odds
Team | Spread | Total (O/U) | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles Lakers | +1.0 (-115) | Ov 224.5 (-110) | -110 |
New Orleans Pelicans | -1.0 (-105) | Un 224.5 (-110) | -110 |
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Lakers vs. Pelicans Betting Trends
Los Angeles Lakers
- 37-44 ATS
- 17-22 ATS on the road
- 46-34-1 O/U record
- 25-14 O/U record on the road
- 14-21 as UNDERDOGS
- 9-14 as UNDERDOGS on the road
New Orleans Pelicans
- 44-36-1 ATS
- 20-19 ATS at home
- 35-45-1 O/U record
- 19-20 O/U record at home
- 31-18 as FAVORITES
- 16-12 as FAVORITES at home
Lakers vs. Pelicans Stat Comparison
Los Angeles Lakers W2 (7-3) 118.0 117.4 +0.6 49.9% 37.7% 43.1 13.4 115.4 (15th) 114.8 (17th) 28-14 (66.7%) 19-21 (47.5%) | Stat Type Streak (L10) Points/Game Opponent Points/Game Point Diff Field Goal % Three-Point % Rebounds/Game Turnovers/Game Offensive Rating Defensive Rating Home Record (Win-Rate) Away Record (Win-Rate) | New Orleans Pelicans L1 (5-5) 115.1 110.7 +4.4 48.6% 38.8% 44.0 12.4 116.5 (11th) 111.9 (6th) 21-19 (52.5%) 28-14 (66.7%) |
Lakers vs. Pelicans Matchup History
- Regular & Post Season Games: 81 (2002-2024)
- All-time Series: Lakers 47 wins; Pelicans 28 wins
- Season Series: Lakers 3-1
Tuesday’s play-in will mark the 82nd all-time meeting between the Lakers and Pelicans. The series is a relatively new one, starting just 22 years ago in 2002. Compared to some NBA matchups, the Lakers vs. Pelicans series is in its infancy. LA leads the all-time series (46-28), as well as the season series (3-1). The Lakers averaged 126.25 points per game and allowed 112.0 points to the Pelicans this season. LA’s singular loss to New Orleans came on the road, where the Lakers were blown out 109-129, but the Lakers managed to redeem themselves with their season ending win (124-108) over New Orleans on Sunday.
Lakers vs. Pelicans Prediction
The Pelicans may technically be home favorites, but the Lakers will win the game. Take LA’s moneyline (-110), ATS odds, and the Over. Simply put, the Lakers are the better side and they proved that in the season finale against the Pelicans. New Orleans needed a win and they failed, a situation they will face once again on Tuesday. The Lakers have more postseason experience, a better lineup (led by two superstars in Lebron James and Anthony Davis), and all the momentum heading into the play-in.
The Pelicans could have avoided the play-in altogether but failed to come up in the clutch and are now reaping the consequences. In their most recent matchup, New Orleans was dominated downlow, giving up 68 points in the paint to the Lakers. In that same game, the Pelicans saw 7 players hit double-digit scoring figures, but it still wasn’t enough to fend off AD and Lebron. New Orlenas outranks the Lakers on both offense and defense, but in clutch moments I never go against Lebron James. It’ll be close, as the Pelicans will be out for revenge, but the Lakers will steal the win.
Lakers vs. Pelicans predictions:
- Moneyline Pick: Los Angeles Lakers (-110)
If you take the Lakers Moneyline (-110): You risk $110 to win $100, for a total payout of $210, if the Lakers win straight up.
- ATS Pick: Los Angeles Lakers (+1.0)
If you take the Lakers to Cover the +1.0 Spread (-115): You risk $115 to win $100, for a total payout of $215, if the Lakers win the game, or lose by 1 point.
- O/U Pick: Over (224.5)
If you take the Over on 224.5 total points (-110): You risk $110 to win $100, for a total payout of $210, if the Lakers and Pelicans combine for more than 224 points.
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