NBA: Sacramento Kings vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview, Odds, Prediction

Two of the teams who are chasing the playoffs square off on Monday night in New Orleans. The Pelicans host Sacramento Kings, as they aim to bounce back following a loss against the Houston Rockets. Meanwhile, the Kings were in a good mood before losing to Miami Heat in Florida. They had three straight wins, and were on their way back to improving the record and reaching .500. This game is worth double, because both the Pelicans and the Kings are after the postseason, and per many experts, these two sides are direct rivals for seeing the playoff action.

Preview

Sacramento Kings (8-11, +145) had three wins in a row before losing minimally against the Heat in Miami, 105-104. We can say that Luke Walton’s crew didn’t deserve to lose that match, as the Kings resisted the Eastern conference champions throughout the entire contest.

Obviously, the franchise from Sacramento is on the rise, and their form goes up. However, consistency is what Kings lack, not only this, but during the previous season as well. They have the potential, they have the quality, and the only thing needed for them to become a playoff side is consistency.

De’Aaron Fox dropped 30 buckets against the Hear, while Buddy Hield had 18, all of them from downtown, shooting 6-for-13. We don’t like his style of play at the moment, as he solely became a three-point shooter, without any intention of attacking the basket whatsoever.

New Orleans Pelicans (7-11,+165) opened their homestand with two wins. The one against the Washington Wizards was expected, while the other vs. Milwaukee Bucks surprised everyone. A 131-126 win over Giannis and the boys proved that the Bucks could compete against the league’s best teams.

However, following this victory, Houston Rockets went home with a win, once again making the Pelicans look mediocre. The defense of the team from NO looks ridiculous, as they allowed 120 or more points in four of the last five matches. It is something unacceptable for a playoff contender.

Both Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who combine 46.5 points per night, with solid shooting percentages, allow at least the same on the other end, These two young stars need to improve their defensive performances for two reasons. No.1 them becoming complete players, and no.2 Pelicans becoming a playoff team.

Head to Head matches

The Pelicans and Kings already met this season, and the team from Louisiana defeated the Kings in Sacramento, 128-123. It was the only win on their six-game road trip. Zion had 31 points, missing just twice in 15 attempts. Fox added 43 points on the other side, but his miraculous performance didn’t help his side too much.

Prediction

The total number of points here is 233, and for us, this is a good opportunity to bet on Over. The previous match between these two teams saw 251 buckets, and also, the current state of both sides suggests that something like that could happen again. Kings allow 119.7 points per night, while we already mentioned that Pelican’s defense has been terrible lately. All the circumstances are suggesting that Over 233 points should be our choice for this event.