The Los Angeles Lakers (9-38) are currently on a seven-game losing streak and will take on the New Orleans Pelicans (16-28) at the Smoothie King Center. The game starts at 9:30 pm ET on Thursday, Feb. 4 and will air on TNT and TWC.
The Pelicans lost a winnable game to the Rockets 112-111 in their last game. Jrue Holiday finished with 32 points to lead the team. The Lakers, meanwhile, are coming off a bitter 92-90 loss to the Mavericks in their last outing. Jordan Clarkson had a team-high 18 points.
Holiday has been playing at a high level as of late for the Pelicans, averaging 18.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 three-pointers over the last five games.
New Orleans should be expected to protect the ball well in this contest. They rank fifth in the NBA at avoiding errors (turnover percentage of 13.3%). Meanwhile, the Lakers force the fourth-fewest turnovers in the league (12.7%).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Lakers won the first game 95-91. Lou Williams was a top performer in the victory with 19 points, four rebounds, eight assists, one block, and one three-pointer.
The Pelicans enter the game with records of 18-29 Straight Up (SU) and 20-27 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 12-19 SU and 15-16 ATS against teams from the Western Conference. The Pelicans come into the game with the league’s third-ranked home scoring offense, averaging 106.7 points per game on their own court. New Orleans has been steady from the free throw line, shooting a stellar .793.
On the other side, Los Angeles has a SU record of 10-41 and an ATS record of 23-28. In Western Conference games, Los Angeles has gone 4-29 SU and 12-21 ATS.
With the Lakers’ last win against New Orleans, Los Angeles is still behind in the head-to-head record over the past 10 meetings, 4-6 SU. Additionally, with a 6-4 record, the Pelicans have the advantage ATS.
Predictions: SU Winner – NO
Notes
New Orleans is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans’s last 5 games at home.
New Orleans is 8-17 SU in their last 25 games when playing LA Lakers.
New Orleans is 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing LA Lakers.
New Orleans is 4-8 ATS in their last 12 games when playing at home against LA Lakers.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Orleans’s last 6 games when playing at home against LA Lakers.
New Orleans is 4-8 SU in their last 12 games when playing at home against LA Lakers.
New Orleans scores an average of 102.6 points per game (ranked ninth). Los Angeles ranks 27th in points allowed per game with 106.4.
New Orleans averages 106.7 points per home game, placing the team third-best in the NBA. Los Angeles, on the other hand, allows 109.5 points per away game (ranked 29th).
In its last game, Los Angeles lost by a margin of two points. New Orleans is 3-3 in games decided by three points or less. Los Angeles has a 0-5 record in close games.
The Los Angeles Lakers are 6-5 when their opponents score fewer than 100 points, but the New Orleans Pelicans are winless (0-20) when they score fewer than 100.
The Los Angeles Lakers have an abysmal 3-33 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The New Orleans Pelicans are 16-8 when they hit the century mark.
The Lakers have an offensive rating of 97.8 (ranked 29th), while the Pelicans rank 28th for their defensive rating of 107.0.
The New Orleans Pelicans average a field goal percentage of 44.7% this season. The Los Angeles Lakers have an underachieving record of 3-30 when opponents have a FG% of 44.7% or greater.
On average, New Orleans attempts 24.0 three pointers and Los Angeles attempts 24.0 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, both have losing records. The Pelicans are 8-14 while the Lakers sit at 4-19.
The New Orleans Pelicans, with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.67, rank 10th in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers have a lower A/TO (1.37), ranking 26th.
The Pelicans rank 22nd in rebounds per game with 42.6, while the Lakers rank 18th with 42.9 per game.
The Los Angeles Lakers rank 12th in offensive rebounding, while the New Orleans Pelicans rank 13th in defensive rebounding.
New Orleans has forced an average turnover percentage of 13.2% this season. Los Angeles has an abysmal 5-22 record when its TOV% is 13.2% or higher.
