New Orleans Pelicans vs Phoenix Suns: Unlucky Pelicans take on prosperous Suns

The NBA betting scenario is an exciting one because you never know when a struggling team turns it around and beat a team that is on a winning run. Each team plays 82 games during the Regular Season and you are bound to have a ton of upsets. Apart from that, we can also engage in the total discussion, the handicap discussion, player props discussion, and a bunch of other ways in which one can engage in the betting business. Well, and like any betting scenario, heartbreaks by one point are common as we are left to scratch our heads. So, with that in our mind, let us come to the game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns.

Pelicans’ train has been halted by Ingram’s injury

The Pelicans won four in a row around early March and then they pushed the Jokic-led Nuggets to Overtime, only to fall short. Since that game, Brandon Ingram has been absent and he was a propeller during the four-game winning streak as the leading wing player. They lost four in a row since his injury as the team balance got compromised. I have no doubt that this is the most important phase for the Pelicans as they are in the tenth place, still in major contention to make the Play-in tournament but with the Spurs trailing right behind, the team still needs a major run.

CJ McCollum also missed the last two games due to COVID-19 protocols and he is questionable for this game, and trust me, the Pelicans need him badly because they lack a shot-creator who can put up big-time points without him. This is a tough game for the Pelicans but one of the relief for the squad is that the upcoming schedule is one of the easiest in the league as most of the teams they will face are lower-ranked or struggling to make ends meet these days. Still, without Ingram, it will be difficult to fend off some of these desperate teams so they need him back soon.

Suns are the best in the league

The Suns have been at the top of the ladder for more than 95% of the season and they have ensured that the rest of the league can’t catch up to them. Even if they win just 50% of games from here on, I doubt that the trailing teams in Grizzlies and the Warriors will be able to catch up at this point. After missing Chris Paul, the team has surely suffered some close defeats but if the team has Devin Booker, they can still close out the season on a high note as he has adjusted to the playmaking role and has received immense help from Cameron Payne in the backcourt.

The Suns have an incredible balance. They have a high-quality scoring guard in Booker who has grown as a player each season and has become more playmaking-oriented. The development of wing Mikal Bridges and Deandre Ayton has also helped because both these players are having a strong offensive season. The aforementioned Cameron Payne provides a further dimension to the PG spot and he is playing some of this best ball recently. The other thing that makes the team formidable is the squad can switch on multiple players and can close the gap on both the perimeter and inside. The Suns have been red-hot all season long and it will not be a surprise if they continue to be so without CP-3.

Assuming these players are available, these are my player-based predictions:

• Devin Booker’s last three games scoring count: 30, 22, 23. My Prediction: At least 28 points;
• Jonas Valanciunas’s last three games rebounding count: 10, 8, 15. My Prediction: At least 12 rebounds;
• Cameron Payne’s last three games assist count: 11, 4, 10. My Prediction: At least 9 assists;
• Jaxson Hayes’ last three games rebound count: 6, 5, 4. My Prediction: At least 5 rebounds;
• Deandre Ayton’s last three games rebound count: 16, 7, 10. My Prediction: At least 12 rebounds.

Points Range: The Suns have been on average a better offensive team than the Pelicans and the Pelicans team balance is surely hurt with Brandon Ingram not being present. On the other hand, the Suns have been able to get it going even without Chris Paul, thanks to Booker and Payne being high-yielding playmakers. Meanwhile, even though the Pelicans have improved defensively, not having enough shotcreators has hurt their confidence on the defensive end. CJ McCollum is questionable for the game and his availability surely determines the chances of this squad that needs a boost here. I believe the Suns will score 115 or more here while the Pelicans will get close to 115 if McCollum plays but if he doesn’t then I see them shut down below 108. The total points range seems to be 230-240 with McCollum playing and 220-230 without him.

Prediction: The Suns have been a stellar team away from home and of course, you have to be a brilliant road team if you want to achieve the best record in the league. The Pelicans have been struggling without Brandon Ingram as has been reiterated again and again, and when you run into the league’s best Suns, you surely need your best players around. If McCollum plays, I give the Pelicans a 44% chance of winning, if he doesn’t then I give them just a 15% chance of winning. I believe the Suns will win this game regardless, scoring 119 points.

• European Handicap: 6:0 W2 for 2.05;
• Individual Total 2 Over 116.5 for 1.94;
• Total O 227.5 for 1.90.