New Orleans Pelicans vs Golden State Warriors Prediction: Warriors to bounce back

The NBA Regular Season has been in full flow and we have seen the wheels turn on the league quickly. The scoring has now been dropping on average but we are still seeing a bunch of high-scorers despite that. Some defenses are way too unsettled and have little to no rhythm. In this NBA game, the New Orleans Pelicans will take on Golden State Warriors. 

New Orleans Pelicans

The Pelicans come into this game after an Overtime 117-120 loss against the Lakers. They erased a 16-point deficit and were up by three with 1.6 seconds to go with Dyson Daniels on the free-throw line. But the young athlete missed both his free throws and Matt Ryan knocked down the long ball to tie the game. The Pels then were unable to close the deal as the Lakers’ hustle overwhelmed them. It was surely a game where the Pels missed Brandon Ingram.

 The Pelicans have won four of their seven games but have lost two out of five games which means that they are out of rhythm. Brandon Ingram is going to be back soon and that will help the team in terms of having a multi-faceted offensive option because CJ McCollum has been off his three-point game. Jonas Valanciunas has been doing his job as a rebounder but perhaps will need to do more as a scorer. Trey Murphy III has been a revelation and has inserted some big games, but will his rhythm be affected once Ingram returns?

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors suffered another heartbreaking loss, losing 129:130 to the Orlando Magic despite a 39 points outburst by Stephen Curry. In that game, Klay Thompson also got back in rhythm and knocked down seven triples while Andrew Wiggins had a superb game too. However, they were still unable to come on top as their defense once again fell apart. Center Kevon Looney who is reserved offensively had 17 points too. Draymond Green has been an effective defender but has been in foul trouble. Their starters have been effective but their bench has been one of the worst in the league.

Jordan Poole’s impact has been reduced, neither is he shooting well nor is he taking care of the ball, perhaps he would do better as a starter. James Wiseman has been struggling from the field whereas Jonathan Kuminga has disappeared from the rotation. The team needs Donte DiVincenzo back to bolster the two-way production. JaMychal Green has been effective in limited minutes but he hasn’t been enough to get it done. The Warriors will need to do more when it comes to the bench.

Injuries

• Pelicans: OUT: EJ Liddell, Kira Lewis Jr. PROBABLE: Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones;
• Warriors: OUT: Donte DiVincenzo, Andre Iguodala.

Player Props

• Expected Scoring Range: Stephen Curry(30+), Zion Williamson(21-26), CJ McCollum(19-25), Brandon Ingram (20-26);
• Expected Rebounding Range: Jonas Valanciunas(11-15), Zion Williamson (9-13);
• Expected Assists Range: CJ McCollum(8-11), Stephen Curry(8-11), Draymond Green(7-10).

Expert Betting Tips

The Warriors are struggling right now and their defense has been not doing well at all. Offensively, Golden State has been doing the job but their bench has been way too off. For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson has been in a great rhythm and with Ingram’s return, they will be much more effective shooting-wise. CJ McCollum has been doing a great job as a playmaker but his scoring has been off.

The Warriors will need to perform in terms of the bench, an area where the Pelicans seem to have the edge. Stephen Curry has had no answer and he will be looking to capitalize upon the momentum he has built. I believe the Warriors will do a much better job here and will end up with a win.