The Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans are both playing good basketball right now, and the two will meet at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, May 3.
Which of these teams will come away with an NBA betting victory in tonight’s game? Keep reading our Warriors vs. Pelicans picks and predictions to get a better idea.
Warriors vs Pelicans odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
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NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonNew Orleans opened as 3-point chalk at TwinSpires and is down a tick to -2.5 as of 4:30 p.m. ET. The Pelicans are taking 65 percent of point-spread tickets and 59 percent of point-spread cash. The total dipped from 237.5 to 236, with the Under taking 61 percent of tickets/67 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameWarriors at Pelicans betting preview
Injuries
Warriors: F Kelly Oubre Jr. (questionable), G Damion Lee (out), C James Wiseman (out), F Eric Paschall (out), G Klay Thompson (out).
Pelicans: Text.
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Warriors are 4-1 ATS in their last five games as underdogs. Find more NBA betting trends for Warriors vs. Pelicans.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
The Warriors definitely left a bad taste in people’s mouths with a blowout loss to the Mavericks last week, but this is still a team that has won nine of its last 14 games. Golden State is right in the mix for a spot in the play-in tournament, and having Steph Curry will give the Warriors a chance on any given night. That is also true for a game like this one, where the Pelicans likely don’t have an answer for the superstar’s scoring ability.
It goes without saying that Zion Williamson is one of the best offensive players in the league, but the way he gets points is a lot different than the former MVP. Williamson is a highly efficient scorer, doing most of his damage around the rim, where he’s arguably the best finisher in the entire league. The only issue is that Curry’s ability to hit threes makes him far more explosive than Williamson, and Curry’s points come in bunches that New Orleans might not be able to match.
To make matters worse, the Pelicans are arguably the NBA's worst team at defending the three, ranking 27th in both opponent 3-point rate and percentage. Obviously, terrible stats for anyone hoping to contain Curry.
Draymond Green is still one of the best defenders in basketball, and he should spend a whole lot of time guarding Williamson in this game. Nobody in the league can completely stop the second-year phenom from getting his, but Green should be able to at least make him work.
PREDICTION: Warriors +2.0 (-110)
Over/Under pick
The total in this game is extremely high, and that’s rather interesting with the Pelicans having the best defensive rating in the league over the last five games. However, New Orleans is just 27th in the league in defensive rating on the year, so it’s clear the oddsmakers aren’t buying it. And truth be told, the Pelicans haven’t faced anybody like Curry, and it’s going to be a real test for them.
On the other side, Green should be able to make Williamson work, but New Orleans is still going to be able to put up points. This should be an up-and-down game, so don’t hesitate to play the high number.
PREDICTION: Over 237.5 (-110)
Player prop pick
This total should give you a good idea of just how well Williamson is playing right now, coming off a 37-point performance. The only issue is that Williamson is used to bullying his defender on the way to the rim, and he probably won’t be able to do that in this one. Green has a similar body composition, and the two share a low center of gravity. Green knows all the tricks that Williamson uses to score as a smaller big man in today's game, and that should make reaching the 29-point mark difficult.
PREDICTION: Zion Williamson Under 28.5 Points (-112)
Warriors vs Pelicans betting card
- Warriors +2.0 (-110)
- Over 237.5 (-110)
- Zion Williamson Under 28.5 Points (-112)
Picks made on 5/3/2021 at 10:00 a.m. ET
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