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The LA Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans clash on April 16 as part of the Western Conference Play-In Tournament bracket. It's the second meeting in three days between the two teams, but this matchup will have a higher stake – a spot in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
New Orleans dropped to the Play-In Tournament spots after losing to the Lakers 124-108 on the final day of the regular season. The Phoenix Suns won their final game, so they jumped ahead of the Pelicans in the Western Conference standings.
The two teams face off at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Tuesday. The winner will be the No. 7 seed in the playoffs and face defending champions Denver Nuggets in the first round. The loser, meanwhile, will battle the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 matchup to determine the No. 8 seed.
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Lakers vs. Pelicans Western Conference Play-In Tournament odds
According to the latest odds, the New Orleans Pelicans are the slight favorites to beat the LA Lakers in the NBA Play-In Tournament. The Pelicans are -118 favorites most likely due to having homecourt advantage, while the Lakers are +100 underdogs.
However, it will likely be a close game with a playoff spot on the line. It's also a date against the defending champions Denver Nuggets, who have looked unstoppable since the All-Star break.
Moneyline: Lakers (+100) vs Pelicans (-118)
Spread: Lakers +1 (-110) vs Pelicans --1 (-110)
Total (O/U): Lakers o227.5 (-110) vs Pelicans u227.5 (-110)
Who is more likely to score a playoff spot?
Based on their regular season series, the LA Lakers are more likely to get a playoff spot over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers won the season series 3-1, will all wins being blowouts – 133-89, 139-122 and 124-108.
The losing team will have a tougher time, as they will need to beat either the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors. For the Pelicans, they own the Kings this season, sweeping all five games. They also beat the Warriors 2-1 in their season series.
Meanwhile, the Lakers are in a pick-your-poison scenario. If they win, the Nuggets have won eight games in a row against them. If they lose, the Kings swept them this season and Anthony Davis remains winless against Domantas Sabonis. They are also 1-3 against Golden State this season.
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