The Phoenix Suns will host a showdown against the New Orleans Pelicans at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Action begins at 9:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Nov. 25 and can be seen on FSN and FAZ.
The Suns are expecting a better outcome after their 98-84 loss to the Spurs on Monday. Markieff Morris was the game’s leading scorer with 28 points.
Over the last five games, Brandon Knight has taken his game to another level for the Suns, averaging 25.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.8 three-pointers. Ryan Anderson has upped his play for the Pelicans. In the same five-game span, he is averaging 25.8 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 3.4 three-pointers.
The Pelicans may not find many second-chance opportunities in this matchup. They’re ranked 28th in the league in offensive rebounding (offensive rebound percentage of 18.8%), whereas Phoenix is fourth-best in the NBA on the defensive glass (defensive rebound percentage of 78.6%).
This is the second game of the season between these two teams, with the Pelicans winning the first matchup 122-116. Davis put up a double-double in the victory with 32 points and 19 rebounds.
The Suns have gone 7-7 Straight Up (SU) and 8-6 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 7-5 SU and 8-4 ATS against the Western Conference. The Suns have no trouble scoring as they rank third in the league in offense with 104.9 points per game. The Suns are one of the best in the NBA in terms of three-point field goals, making 10.0 shots per game from beyond the arc. The rebounding edge goes to the Suns in this matchup, who are one of the top rebounding teams in the league with an average of 46.6 boards per game.
Over on the other bench, the Pelicans have a record of 5-9 ATS and 3-11 SU. Against the Western Conference, New Orleans is 3-6 SU and 4-5 ATS.
New Orleans beat Phoenix in their most recent meeting this season, bringing the head-to-head record to an even 5-5 SU over the last 10 meetings. On the other hand, the Pelicans hold the advantage ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – Pho
Notes
Phoenix is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Phoenix’s last 20 games at home.
Phoenix is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home.
Phoenix is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing New Orleans.
Phoenix is 8-16 ATS in its last 24 games when playing at home against New Orleans.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Phoenix’s last 7 games when playing at home against New Orleans.
Phoenix is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against New Orleans.
On average, New Orleans scores 102.1 points per game (ranked 11th). Phoenix ranks 19th in points allowed per game with 102.3.
New Orleans puts up an average of 93.7 points per away game (ranked 27th), while Phoenix gives up 98.6 points per home game (ranked 11th).
The New Orleans Pelicans have a split 1-1 record when they limit their opponents to fewer than 100 points. The Phoenix Suns have a winless 0-5 record this season when they score less than 100.
The New Orleans Pelicans have an abysmal 2-10 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The Phoenix Suns are 7-2 when they hit the century mark.
The Suns have a defensive rating of 101.8 (ranked 18th), while the Pelicans rank 16th for their offensive rating of 101.7.
Phoenix has an average field goal percentage of 44.3%. New Orleans is a subpar 1-8 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, Phoenix attempts 26.0 three pointers and New Orleans attempts 27.0 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Suns are even at 4-4 while the Pelicans have an underachieving 2-6 record.
The Phoenix Suns rank 29th with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.14. The New Orleans Pelicans have a higher A/TO (1.65), ranking seventh.
The Phoenix Suns are one of the top rebounding teams in the league with an average of 46.6 per game (ranked fifth). The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the worst rebounding teams with 41.2 rebounds per game (ranked 27th).
Phoenix is ranked seventh in defensive rebounds, while New Orleans ranks 27th in offensive rebounds.
New Orleans has forced an average turnover rate of 13.0% this season. In games where their turnover rate is 13.0% or higher, Phoenix is an even 5-5.
