New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Prediction and betting tips for 2023-24 NBA In-Season Tournament | Nov. 24, 2023

The New Orleans Pelicans begin a three-game road trip with a visit to Crypt.com Arena to take on the LA Clippers. Friday night’s encounter will have significant implications for both teams in the NBA In-Season Tournament.

A Pelicans win will push them to the top of West Group B with a 3-1 card. A Clippers victory, though, will have both tied at 2-2 and in danger of getting eliminated.

The Clippers are on a roll after having lost six games, five with James Harden in the lineup. They have racked up three straight wins and look like they have found some chemistry and rhythm.

The last time the Pelicans and the Clippers met was last season. While New Orleans has largely remained the same, LA's supporting cast is vastly different. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George remain as the franchise players, though. The addition of Harden has made them a top-heavy unit.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Preview, betting tips and prediction

Game details

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers

Date and Time: Nov. 24, 2023 | 10:30 p.m. ET

Venue: Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles, California

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New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Game preview

The Pelicans have won four of their last five games. Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas have been impressive. Even without CJ McCollum, New Orleans is looking like a team that has found its stride.

Whether the Clippers have finally found their groove remains to be seen. They eked out a victory against the Houston Rockets to snap their six-game losing streak.

Their next two wins came against the San Antonio Spurs, who have the second-worst record in the league. The in-form Pelicans are their toughest test yet since the arrival of James Harden.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Predicted starting lineups

Pelicans coach Willie Green could start Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Jonas Valanciunas and Dyson Daniels.

Clippers coach Ty Lue has agreed to move Russell Westbrook to the bench and has replaced him with Terance Mann. Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and James Harden complete Lue’s starting unit.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Betting tips

“PG13” tops the LA Clippers with 24.8 points per game. The over/under points prop for him is 25.5. Bettors get -110 for over and -113 for under. Over his last 10 games, he has failed to score at least 25 points five times.

Kawhi Leonard is second in the Clippers’ scoring ladder, averaging 21.4 PPG. The over/under points prop for him is 24.5. Bettors get -105 for over and -115 for under. “The Claw” has struggled since Harden’s arrival, hitting at least 24 points just three times in his last eight games.

The over/under points prop for Zion Williamson is 24.5. He's averaging 22.4 PPG on 50.0% shooting this season. He has hit at least 24 points in five of his last 10 games. In his last three games, he has averaged 25.6 points.

Whoever has the hot hand between Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will likely get over the points prop. Tyronn Lue always gets the in-rhythm player most of the touches.

Williamson, meanwhile, could be a poor matchup for the LA Clippers on paper. PJ Tucker is the closest who could make him uncomfortable. If the Clippers go small-ball, defending the burly power forward might cause them a ton of trouble.

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New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers: Prediction

The moneyline for the New Orleans Pelicans is +180 while it's -220 for the Clippers. New Orleans is a +5.5 underdog against LA.

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have had tougher opponents in their 4-1 record. If they don’t win outright against the Clippers, they could lose and still cover the +5.5 spread.