New Orleans Pelicans vs. Oklahoma City Thunder prediction – NBA – 29/4/2024
It’s do-or-die for New Orleans who are looking to extend their season by at least one more game
On Monday, the New Orleans Pelicans will host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Smoothie King Center for Game 4 of their first-round Western Conference series.
The series has been one-way traffic so far, with the top-seed in the West dismantling the bottom-seed. The Pelicans are down 0-3 and could become the second team eliminated from the playoffs, depending on the result of Game 4 between the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves. New Orleans are looking to send the series back to OKC and avoiding the sweep but it’s looking unlikely.
Pelicans vs. Thunder: NBA Prediction – Best Bets:
The Thunder are unsurprisingly the heavy favorites to win the game, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to get in a few bets. Here are the best picks:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to cap off the series in style
- Brandon Ingram to struggle
- OKC to score an emphatic win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander points total over 27.5 – 1xBet @ 1.82, BET HERE
Through three games, the Pelicans defense has had no answers against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The MVP candidate has averaged 28.3 points in this series and scored over 27 points twice, failing to hit that mark in Game 3. SGA will be determined to close the series out and head back to OKC to get some rest before they take on either the Los Angeles Clippers or Dallas Mavericks in the second round. Expect a big performance from the guard.
Brandon Ingram under 21.5 points – Parimatch @ 1.87, BET HERE
Zion Williamson’s absence gave Brandon Ingram the perfect opportunity to lead the Pelicans’ offense and have massive games. However, the forward has failed to live up to the billing. He has scored less than 20 points in each game and has struggled to find his rhythm against OKC’s defense. With their season practically over, it’s difficult to envision Ingram being motivated enough to have his best game and help New Orleans avoid the sweep. Expect another tough outing for the forward.
Pelicans -4.5 – Stake @ 1.95, BET HERE
Following a tough Game 1, the Thunder have dominated the Pelicans in each of the subsequent two contests, winning by 32 points in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3. New Orleans is running on fumes and has no answer for the Thunder. Expect the Thunder to cover the -4.5 handicap with ease.
Pelicans vs. Thunder Betting Bonus Offers
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Head-to-Head Record: Pelicans vs. Thunder
The Pelicans and Thunder have met only 74 times in the regular season. OKC holds a 42-32 lead in their head-to-head duels. This series is the first playoff meeting between the two teams and the Thunder are a perfect 3-0 so far.
New Orleans Pelicans
When Zion Williamson was ruled out for the series due to a left hamstring strain, many expected the Pelicans to get swept in dominant fashion. However, the fought hard in Game 1 and were one Chet Holmgren rejection away from potentially winning the game. Many saw it as a sign of things to come and New Orleans to put up a tough fight. Those expectations were premature, as Game 2 and 3 went exactly as many envisioned the series to go. The Pelicans have lost by an average margin of 26.5 points. Their season will likely end on Monday, unless they use the home crowd’s energy and give them a performance to be proud of.
Oklahoma City Thunder
After barely scraping by and winning Game 1 by two points, the Thunder have performed like many expected them to before the series commenced. Two emphatic wins in Games 2 and 3 have left them on the precipice of a series win. The Mavericks and Clippers series will take at least until Game 5 to determine a winner, making a win in Game 4 critical for the Thunder. Rest is the most crucial thing this late in the season and wrapping up series on Monday and getting a small break before the second round could do wonders for the Thunder’s odds in that series.
Where to Watch Pelicans vs. Thunder
Here are all the options to watch Game 4 between the Pelicans and Thunder:
- The game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV. Fans in New Orleans can watch the game on Bally Sports New Orleans. Their Oklahoma City affiliate, Bally Sports OK, will broadcast the game for local Thunder fans to enjoy.
- The NBA League Pass app will stream the game online.
- Betting websites like 1xBet, Dafabet, Parimatch and Bet365 also stream live NBA games. Check the app during the game for a livestream.
Pelicans vs. Thunder stats
The 0-3 series deficit is a death sentence for NBA teams. No franchise in league history has ever come back from losing the first three games of the series. Of the 151 teams to go down 0-3, only four teams have forced a Game 7, but none managed to complete the comeback. The Pelicans are one of three teams that went down 0-3 in this year’s playoffs alongside the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns. The Lakers won Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday to avoid the sweep. The Suns and Pelicans are looking to follow suit, but their odds look slim.
Pelicans vs. Thunder – Key Points
Here are some of the key points about the Pelicans and Thunder’s Game 4 on Monday:
Favourite to win the match
The Oklahoma City Thunder are unsurprisingly the heavy favorites to beat the New Orleans Pelicans and advance to the second round of the playoffs.
Which team has more victories
Despite finishing first and seventh in the regular season standings, respectively, the Thunder (57-25) and the Pelicans (49-33) were separated by only eight wins. One of New Orleans’ 49 wins was against OKC, while the two of the Thunder’s 57 wins came against the Pelicans.
