New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings NBA Betting Picks and Prediction for Thursday, April 11, 2024

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings – As the NBA regular season winds down, the battle for playoff positioning heats up with the New Orleans Pelicans (46-32) set to face the Sacramento Kings (45-33) in a pivotal Western Conference showdown. Both teams are neck and neck in the standings, making this matchup crucial for their playoff aspirations. Key players such as Zion Williamson of the Pelicans and De’Aaron Fox of the Kings are expected to play significant roles, making this game a must-watch for fans and bettors alike, particularly those engaged in Canadian best sports betting, looking to leverage the night’s action.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings

Date & Time: Thursday, April 11, 2024, at 10:00 PM ET

Location: Golden 1 Center

TV: TNT

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings Betting Odds

TeamMoneylineSpreadTotal
PelicansTBDTBDTBD
KingsTBDTBDTBD

New Orleans Pelicans Analysis

This year the Pelicans have proved their point to be a powerful offensive team by averaging 115 points per game thanks to their good shot efficiency (48.7%). Nevertheless, their current form has been quite unstable, this being confirmed especially by the previous nine consecutive defeats. They can’t think about any other inside shot than that of Zion Williamson dominating and bringing points to them.

Defensively, the Pelicans look like a kind of a rogue, since they sometimes play well, and sometimes pretty bad. Steals in these matchups are above average at 8.3 and collective blocks are solid at 4.7 per game, however, their field goal defense percentage, particularly in their perimeter defense, is very troubling. Such an inconsistency is most likely a critical aspect in their match against the Kings the next game.

Although Zion Williams averages 22.9 points and 5.8 rebounds, making him the cornerstone of the team remains undoubted. Skillful presence of his on the court, full both division approaches, makes him a main factor in this pair.

Sacramento Kings Analysis

Conversely, the Kings also have an edge when it comes to offensive performance, scoring 116.7 points per game with De’Aaron Fox having a good game of 26.5 points per game. They are known for the three-point shooting as their strategy is focused on shooting the ball a lot which is 39.1 three-point shots per game on average. They may however pose a serious challenge to the Pelicans’ defense which try to play aggressively.

Defensively, The Kings also find it difficult just like the Pelicans against the opposition’s three point All-stars. On the contrary, they are noteworthy for their ability to force turnovers with their impressive rating of 7.5 steals per game but are dangerous for New Orleans’s offenses specifically because of their high turnover rate.

It would be a mistake to argue that De’Aaron Fox was the only one responsible for the resurgence of the Kings. He performed not just scoring roles but also he has been playmaking and defense for the team. His role is going to be crucial for the team’s success in such a tense match, especially when they face great players like Zion Williamson.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings Against the Spread

The Pelicans are in form, but in the absence of pool betting they are not likely to come. The 4 to 1 loss in their last 5 matches hints at a possibility of a losing streak for them. On the other side, the Kings have been more resilient, notching up a record of 4-1 against spread in their previous 5 games implying their ability to perform better when the game is on a knife-edge. The Kings are not left out either on the home spread record (24-15) which, perhaps, will make them lovable during this match.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings Free Pick

Based on trends, team stats, and key players, here are the picks:

Moneyline: Sacramento Kings (The Kings’ stronger recent form and home-court advantage make them the safer bet.)

Spread: Sacramento Kings (Given their better record against the spread and the Pelicans’ recent struggles, the Kings are the pick to cover.)

Total: Over (Both teams have shown strong offensive capabilities and trends towards higher-scoring games, suggesting the total will go over.)

Predicted Score: Sacramento Kings 118, New Orleans Pelicans 112

Considering the two teams’ offensive firepower, as well as their weaknesses on the defensive end, expecting a high-scoring game is not an outrageous assumption. Although the Pelicans are known for their red-hot form and home-court advantage, they may still get defeated by the Kings in this very crucial clash. The most stable play here is to decide the Kings on the moneyline bet, what to wear on those remembering NBA Expert Free Pick. This game is expected to be a thrilling battle with pool saving importance at stake.