Oklahoma City vs New Orleans NBA Spread Preview

Posted by Eric Williams on Wednesday,February 24, 2016 2:49, EDT in

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder will look to control Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans while snapping their modest two-game losing streak when they visit their Western Conference counterparts on Thursday night. After losing to the Pacers on Friday and getting dominated by LeBron James and the Cavs in a nationally-televised showdown on Sunday, the Thunder are semi-desperate to get back in the win column and restore some of their shaken confidence. Conversely, the Pelicans will look to get back in the win column themselves after having their modest two-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night. Now, let’s find out who’s getting the much needed NBA betting odds win in this contest.

How To Bet The Oklahoma City Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, February 25, 8:00 PM  ET
Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: TNT
Radio: WWLS 98.1FM OKC,WRNO 99.5FM
Live Stream: Watch NBA
NBA Odds: TBA

Why Bet The Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder (40-16 SU, 22-34 ATS) should be going all-out to get the win tonight after getting smacked around by LeBron and company in their overwhelming 115-92 home loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Durant scored 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting to lead the Thunder while Russell Westbrook added 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds. Forward Serge Ibaka scored 12 points but was held to only two points after the half.

Oklahoma is 0-2 since the All-Star break, but it’s the way the team has lost that has them frustrated coming into this matchup. “We’ve got to dig down deep,” a frustrated Durant said. “X’s and O’s and shootarounds and schemes, and practices, that (stuff) is out the window. You’ve got to dig down deep and decide what you want to do. And that’s everybody.”

Why Bet The New Orleans Pelicans

One game after scoring season-high and league-best 59 points, Anthony Davis was limited to just nine points in the Pelicans’ (22-34 SU, 22-33 ATS) humbling 109-89 road loss against Washington on Tuesday night. Davis shot just 3-of-9 from the field after shooting 24-of-34 against the Pistons on Sunday.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Davis had the second-biggest scoring drop-off in NBA history following a 55-plus-point game. San Antonio’s Tony Parker went from 55 points to just four in 2008. “I just think they tried to double-team me, deny me the ball – a lot,” Davis said.

New Orleans’ other four starters all failed to reach double digits in scoring. “They did a great job on him,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said of the defense against Davis. “A guy gets 59, I guarantee you game-plan for him the next game.”

 

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Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

Oklahoma City has won two straight over New Orleans and three of the last four meetings overall including a resounding 121-95 home win as a 12-point favorite on Feb. 11. Having said that, let me also say that I just don’t see the Thunder losing this contest because of their moderate desperation following their last two games.

Oklahoma City may or may not be a ‘real’ threat to Golden State’s conference dominance, but they’re easily the right pick to beat a New Orleans Pelicans team that has underachieved all season long because of injuries and overly realistic expectations.

Strangely enough, while Oklahoma City is just 2-5 ATS in the last seven meetings against New Orleans, the Thunder are also an incendiary 8-2 ATS in the last 10 road games against the Pelicans while the road team in this series is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.

My final score prediction: Oklahoma City 109 New Orleans 101