Update: Kuminga has been ruled out, while Thompson and Green are both available. The spread hasn’t changed and the total is up to 222.5. We’ll keep New Orleans as the ATS pick and the over on the total.
The final weekend of the NBA’s regular season tips off tonight and we have a Western Conference showdown with postseason implications as the New Orleans Pelicans visit the Golden State Warriors at 10 p.m. ET.
New Orleans (48-32) is rolling into this matchup on a three-game win streak and currently holds the No. 6 seed in the West. The Pelicans can officially clinch the spot and avoid falling into the play-in tournament with both a win and a Suns loss tonight. Golden State (45-35) is also on a three-game win streak and is already locked into the play-in tournament. The Warriors can clinch at least the No. 9 seed with a win and a Lakers loss tonight.
On the injury front, Brandon Ingram (knee) remains out for the Pelicans but is expected to return on Sunday. For the Warriors, Draymond Green (knee) and Klay Thompson (knee) are both listed as probable while Jonathan Kuminga (pelvic) is questionable.
Golden State enters the game as a 4-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, accompanied by a total of 221.5. The Warriors are listed as a -180 moneyline favorite, making the Pelicans a +150 underdog.
Pelicans vs. Warriors, 10 p.m. ET
Pick ATS: Pelicans +4
The previous two regular season matchups between these teams have resulted in the road team winning by a comfortable margin and I’ll predict that happening again tonight. Golden State is fighting to get into the favorable 7 vs. 8 game of the play-in tournament while New Orleans is fighting to avoid the play-in altogether. I think that’s enough of a motivating factor for the visitors to pull this off, so I’ll go with the Pels to cover and win.
Over/Under: Over 221.5
Both teams are a combined 15-13 in O/U’s when playing on no rest, so it’s a virtual coin flip on where the total will land. This should be a fun, competitive contest where there are stakes involved, so I’ll lean toward the over cashing.
