Portland has the slightly better record and the home court advantage, so it should be the favorite in this matchup. If the Blazers have their playoff spot wrapped up before this game it’s not out of the question that some of their better players rest, so keep a close eye on that.
If Damian Lillard or C.J. McCollum doesn’t play, obviously that will drastically change the situation of the spread and the moneyline.
This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
NBA Odds
The Blazers are 40-40 straight up and 39-41 against the spread. Portland has played in 39 home games this season and has covered in 21 of them. The Blazers are 23-20 against the spread as the favorite this season and will be giving points if they are full strength. Portland has covered in 15 of 35 attempts as the underdog. If the Blazers rest guys, it will be interesting to see where the spread comes in.
The Pelicans are 33-47 straight up and 37-41-2 against the spread. New Orleans is 16-21-2 against the spread on the road this season and will aim to improve on that. The Pelicans are 12-15 against the spread as the favorite this season and 24-26-2 against the spread as the underdog.
Key Stat
8. That’s the number of wins the Blazers have accumulated in the past 10 games to vault back into the No. 8 seed after some scary games. Portland has defeated the Knicks, the Timberwolves twice, Lakers, Nuggets, Rockets, Suns and Jazz during this streak.
The Blazers had a six-game win streak to help them surpass the Denver Nuggets in the standings. The only losses during this stretch came against Minnesota and Utah, although they also beat both of the teams during it.
Portland is going to have to face off with the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, so it figures to be a short stay in the playoffs, but it’s encouraging for the future that the team was able to put together a string of wins when its backs were against the wall.
Injury Report
The Pelicans have struggled again this year because they don’t have a deep roster, but there is hope for the future after they traded for DeMarcus Cousins to pair with Anthony Davis, their superstar. However, both big men have missed games of late with leg and knee issues, and that’s something to keep a close eye on.
Davis is averaging 28 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and has established himself as one of the most talented big men in the NBA. A sore knee kept him out against the Warriors, and while it seemed minor, that’s definitely something to watch.
Cousins has been battling an Achilles injury, and if he can’t play that will also have a big impact on the spread.
Free NBA ATS Pick
Will these teams be full strength? That’s the big question for this matchup. If New Orleans has the services of Davis and Cousins, it should have a decent shot in this game. Keep an eye on the starting lineups because that will tell the tale of the game.
The Blazers are healthier and play at home, so that makes them the pick in this showdown.
NBA Odds: Blazers 106, Pelicans 98
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