The final spot in the NBA Western Conference Playoffs bracket will be awarded tonight. After chalk held firm in each of the four NBA Play-In Tournament games earlier this week, the battle for the official 8-seed fittingly features the teams that finished eighth and ninth in the standings. The New Orleans Pelicans will look to cap off a remarkable season turnaround by earning an official berth into the NBA Playoffs. Standing in their way are the gritty Los Angeles Clippers, just one year removed from playing in the Western Conference Finals. Let’s take a look at the top NBA odds, picks and betting trends, then give a Pelicans vs Clippers prediction for the NBA Play-In Tournament and an NBA player props same-game parlay.
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How Does the NBA Play-In Tournament Work?
To create a bit of excitement at the end of the NBA regular season, the league has stuck with the NBA Play-In Tournament. It includes the teams with the seventh through tenth-best winning percentages in each conference.
On Tuesday night, the seventh and eighth-best teams faced off. The winner locked up their spot in the NBA Playoffs as the official “7-seed” in their respective conference. On Wednesday, the “Nine-Ten Game” for each conference was played. The winners of those games earned the opportunity to play the loser of the “Seven-Eight Game” for the final spot in the NBA Playoffs.
Thus, the winner of tonight’s Pelicans vs Clippers matchup will be awarded the 8-seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. The loser, meanwhile, will be headed for the NBA Draft Lottery.
Pelicans vs Clippers Game Info
NBA Play-In Tournament Game
New Orleans Pelicans (37-46, 17-24 Away) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (42-41, 25-16 Home)
Date: Friday, April 15, 2022
Time: 10 PM EST
Venue: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, CA
Coverage: TNT
Pelicans vs Clippers NBA Betting Picks and Odds
All NBA betting odds for Pelicans vs Clippers can be found at BetOnline Sportsbook.
Moneyline: NOP: (N/A) | LAC: (N/A)
Point Spread: NOP: -1 (-110) | LAC: +1 (-110)
Total: 215.5 — Over: (-110) | Under: (-110)
Public Betting Percentages (via Action Network): NOP: (43%) | LAC: (57%)
Pelicans vs Clippers NBA Betting Trends
- Pelicans are just 1-5 ATS in their last six games against teams with a winning straight up record.
- The total has gone UNDER in seven of the Pelicans’ last eight games following a straight up win.
- Pelicans are 11-2 ATS in their last 13 games played on a Friday.
- Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their last four home games against teams with a losing road record.
- Clippers are 6-0 ATS in their last six games against teams with a losing straight up record.
- The OVER is 3-0-2 in the Clippers’ last five games following a straight up loss.
- The total has gone UNDER in four of the last five Pelicans vs Clippers head-to-head matchups.
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Pelicans vs Clippers Prediction | NBA Betting Picks and Parlay
Alright, let’s get right to it: Paul George is OUT for the Clippers tonight. Yes, health and safety protocols are apparently still a thing, and “Playoff P” remains one of the best self-anointed nicknames in sports history. While this is certainly a blow to L.A., the silver lining here is that the Clippers played a great deal of the regular season without George due to an injury. If there is any team that can still rise to the occasion in this scenario, one has to believe it would be the Clips.
A huge portion of our Pelicans vs Clippers prediction is based on L.A.’s nasty defense. The Clippers were one of the NBA’s best defensive teams all season long. On the full season, they allowed 107.5 points per 100 possessions, the eighth fewest in the league. Considering the various injury absences the Clips dealt with, that efficiency rating over the full year becomes even more impressive. It also serves as proof that they can still lock down defensively even without George in the lineup.
The other key element to consider here is the pace at which both sides play. The Clippers complemented their stingy defense with a below-average Pace Factor. On the season, L.A. used an average of 100.2 possessions per game. Contrary to public opinion, the Pelicans actually played even slower than that. NOLA’s Pace Factor on the year finished at 99.7.
To expand on the tempo portion of this handicap, one could argue that the greatest personnel advantage that the Pelicans have in this matchup is center Jonas Valanciunas. He dominated the Clippers on the glass across numerous regular-season meetings. If New Orleans wisely elects to play through their big man down low, this could also inhibit the overall tempo of tonight’s game.
Our NBA betting Pelicans vs Clippers prediction tonight will be the UNDER hitting at BetOnline.
For what it’s worth, the ESPN Matchup Predictor gives the Clippers a 72.8% chance to win.
Pelicans vs Clippers NBA Same Game Parlay
Parlay Odds: +650
- Jonas Valanciunas 18+ Points
- Brandon Ingram 6+ Rebounds
- Jonas Valanciunas 12+ Rebounds
- Reggie Jackson 2+ Made Threes
- Norman Powell 2+ Made Threes
- Nicolas Batum 1+ Steals
