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Update: Thompson has been ruled out, while Green is in. Brandon Ingram has been ruled out for the Pelicans with a knee issue. The line has now moved to Pelicans -3 and the total is now 219. We’re going to stick with Pelicans -3, but the over on the total now seems like the smarter move even with some big-time scorers set to rest.
Update: Klay Thompson has been listed as questionable and Draymond Green has been listed as probable. Stephen Curry doesn’t carry a designation. The Pelicans are still 4-point favorites and the total is 224. We’re going to stick with Pelicans -4 and the under on 224.
The Golden State Warriors (2-1) will look to make it three wins in a row when they face the New Orleans Pelicans (2-0) Monday evening. The Pelicans are hoping for a third win as well. These teams played four times a year ago, splitting the meetings evenly.
The Warriors won’t release an official injury report until 2 p.m. ET, but we’ll see if Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are available on the second night of a back-to-back set. For the Pelicans, Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and Trey Murphy remain sidelined.
The Pelicans are 4.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total coming in at 226.5. New Orleans is -175 on the moneyline, while Golden State is +145.
Warriors vs. Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Pelicans -4.5
The Warriors were 8-7 ATS on the second night of back-to-backs a season ago, while New Orleans was 6-11 ATS with a rest advantage. However, Golden State’s road woes from last year cannot be ignored. A 13-34 ATS mark on the road is truly abysmal, especially for a team that entered the campaign as defending champions. Throw in the uncertainty surrounding Golden State’s starters when it comes to playing time and New Orleans is the play in this one.
Over/Under: Under 226.5
Only one of the four games a year ago between these teams went over this line, and even the presence of Zion Williamson doesn’t feel like it’ll be enough to push this game over. The Pelicans have actually been the top defensive team in the league so far, and Golden State could rest its key guys on the road in the second game of a back-to-back set. Even with the Warriors having a poor road record defensively, the under feels like the safer play in this matchup.