PHOENIX @ NEW ORLEANS (PHX -1, 224.5)
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SUNS VS. PELICANS 4/1/24
There are just eight games left in the regular season for both the Phoenix Suns and the New Orleans Pelicans. They'll play each other twice in crucial games in the remaining days, starting with tonight's encounter in New Orleans that could determine who makes the top six and who makes the play-in tournament in the Western Conference.
With Dallas sandwiched in between, the fifth-place Pelicans (45–29) lead the seventh-place Suns (43–31) by two games. Tonight, New Orleans will kick off the second half of a six-game homestand that has included three games against elite teams: a 104-92 loss to Boston, a victory over Milwaukee, and a defeat to Oklahoma City.
New Orleans was up 37-28 in that loss to Boston, but only scored 20 points in the second quarter. The Pelicans were then limited to just 11 in the third quarter and ended up trailing by as many as 22 points in the fourth. Zion Williamson scored 25 points in 40 minutes of play against the Celtics.
Phoenix's performance on this road trip has been wildly inconsistent. The Suns split the first two games of their trip to San Antonio, losing the second game despite the absence of star rookie Victor Wembanyama of the Spurs. The Suns won the first by 25 points.
There was also the Suns curious end to last week. On Wednesday, Phoenix went on the road to defeat the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets 104-97. Then, on Friday, Oklahoma City smoked the Suns, handing them their second-most lopsided loss of the season, 128-103. And, the Thunder did not have leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for that game. The Suns were down by as many as 29 points in the loss.
The Suns' remaining schedule is among the toughest in the NBA. All eight games are against teams that are at least ten games above .500. The Pelicans still have six games remaining against teams with winning records, but they have already completed the most difficult stretch of their homestand.
This season, these two teams have only played once, with the Suns winning 123-109 in New Orleans on January 19. The teams play again in Phoenix on April 7. The Pelicans are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games. New Orleans leads seventh-place Sacramento by two games. The Kings play the Clippers on Tuesday.
Phoenix is 4-2 SU and ATS in its last six games. The Suns are also 5-2 SU and ATS in their last seven games against New Orleans. The Suns are one of the weaker NBA teams against the number. Phoenix has the third-worst cover percentage (41.7%) in the league. The Suns are 30-42-2 ATS this season.
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FREE PICK: SUNS-PELS UNDER 223.5
