The New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers will meet in what should be a thrilling NBA In-Season Tournament matchup on Thursday, Dec. 7 (9 p.m. ET).
The Pelicans took down the Kings on the road to reach the semifinals, while the Lakers defeated the Suns at home to remain undefeated in In-Season Tournament play.
Here are the latest NBA odds and best bets for Pelicans vs Lakers.
Pelicans vs Lakers NBA In-Season Tournament Odds
NBA odds used for these best bets are current as of Thursday, Dec. 7, at 9 a.m. ET and were found at bet365 Sportsbook.
- Moneyline: Pelicans (+105) • Lakers (-125)
- Spread: Pelicans +2 (-115) • Lakers -2 (-105)
- Total Points: Over 230 (-110) • Under 230 (-110)
Pelicans vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Prediction
Lakers 108, Pelicans 104
My outlook on the Lakers has changed since they upended the Suns in the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals. An early appearance from Playoff LeBron did the trick, with James notching 31 points, eight rebounds, and 11 assists in the narrow victory.
Los Angeles is treating this tournament with respect, which is a terrifying fact for opponents. The Lakers were dominant down the stretch of the 2022-23 season and into the playoffs, and they seem to be recapturing some of that form.
The Pelicans are a good team — great, potentially — but they remain inconsistent and difficult to figure out. For every impressive win, there’s an equally confusing loss — since Nov. 20, New Orleans is 3-0 against the Sacramento Kings but 0-3 versus the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls.
The main weakness Los Angeles can exploit is the interior. Anthony Davis dominated this matchup against his former team to the tune of 29.3 points and 14.3 rebounds over four games last season, and he looks poised for another strong outing on Thursday.
Pelicans vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Bets
Lakers -2 (-110)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The Lakers’ offense remains underwhelming, but the defense is legit. Over the last 10 games, Los Angeles is allowing just 109.5 points per game, a figure that would rank sixth overall in the NBA.
The Pelicans live inside the arc — they rank sixth in two-pointers made per game — but that’s where the Lakers are at their best defensively, too, and they rarely send opponents to the free-throw line.
Brandon Ingram, in particular, has been spectacular lately, averaging 24.7 points per game over his last 10. If Los Angeles can slow the former Laker, it will be well on the way to covering this spread and advancing to the NBA In-Season Tournament Championship.
Lock in the Lakers with your NBA bet of the day.
Under 230 (-110)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
The New Orleans offense has been rolling recently, but it hasn’t been tested by a defense as strong as the Lakers’ in several weeks.
Plus, with how low-scoring Los Angeles’ games have been lately, this 230-point total seems like a stretch. I’m not counting on either team to score 110-plus points.
Pelicans vs Lakers In-Season Tournament Prop Bet
Anthony Davis: Over 39.5 Points + Rebounds (-115)
bet365 Sportsbook • WAGER: 1 Unit
It’s no secret that players generally perform better against their former teams, and that checks out for Davis. His career average of 27.9 points per game against New Orleans is his third-highest mark against an individual team.
- See where the Pelicans and Lakers stand in the 2024 NBA Finals Odds.
In his most recent outing with the Pels on March 14, Davis went for 35 points and 17 rebounds in just 33 minutes of action. He could see an increased workload tonight with this essentially serving as a playoff game, so this number should be well within reach.
