The Pelicans may be without Brandon Ingram once again on Friday in Golden State and it has the Warriors laying -9.5 points at home. Read on to take a look at the NBA odds and the best sportsbook to bet with today.
Friday, November 5th, 2021 10:00 PM EDT at Chase Center
We knew going into the season that without Zion Williamson, the Pelicans were going to struggle on offense. For the most part, they have exceeded expectations of me personally to start the year. Jonas Valanciunas was a great trade for this team and Devonte Graham has been a nice signing as well to help along with this young roster.
The issues have been health-related though and it’s been tough to overcome. Brandon Ingram has missed the last three games for the Pelicans and he is officially questionable tonight. Without Ingram on the court and with Zion still many weeks and pounds away from playing in an NBA game, New Orleans might struggle offensively.
Even if they do get Ingram back, it’s their third game in four nights and they are playing said game on the road against the league’s toughest defense. When Golden State was winning titles, all the acclaim went to their offense, but their defense has been good forever,
Despite their lack of interior size this season with James Wiseman still recovering from offseason surgery, the Warriors rank tops in the league in defensive rating. They are allowing just 97.1 points per 100 possessions and at home, that dips down to 93.1. The home sample size is small at only three games, but when you watch this team, their defense has easily been their best attribute.
Golden State is perfectly matched to beat this team tonight and if Ingram isn’t playing, a 10-point victory may be easily attainable. However, without the Ingram news one way or another, I am looking at the total for my NBA pick tonight.
With the Golden State defense playing so well and with the possibility of Ingram sitting this one out once again, the under is the best play on the board for this game. There are some low totals on the board Friday. However, with the exception of Raptors vs. Cavaliers, this game has the potential to be the lowest scoring.
The Pelicans are the ones who will try to slow down the Warriors here. It’s literally their only shot at winning. If they are successful - at least early on – it should be enough to keep this score in the high 90s to low 100s. I assume the first team to 105 wins.
Golden State ranks just 16th in offensive efficiency and down to 22nd in ORtg at home, so it’s not like they have been shooting the lights out of the ball to start the season. New Orleans’ defense is one of the poorest in the NBA to start the year, but they have actually allowed 8 points fewer per 100 possessions on the road compared to home games. Small sample sizes once again, but worth noting.
Combined with New Orleans’ pace and the potential for Ingram to be out, I’m backing the under with my NBA pick tonight.
NBA Pick: Golden State Under 214 (-113) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.