Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans: Prediction and Betting Tips | April 1, 2024 

The Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans face off in a high-stakes Western Conference matchup on Monday. It's their second matchup of the year. The Suns claimed a 123-109 win in their previous matchup on Jan. 19. Both teams are fighting for a top-six seed, making it a significantly relevant game at this stage of the season.

The Suns are eighth with a 42-31 record, while the 45-29 Pelicans are sixth, with two games separating the two teams. They could end up holding the same season record, too. That makes it crucial for both teams to win the season series. Phoenix will claim it if they win on Monday.

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Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans preview, betting tips, odds and prediction

Money line: Suns -115, Pelicans -105

Spread: Suns -1 (-109), Pelicans +1 (-111)

Total (o/u): Suns o225 (-111), Pelicans u225 (-111)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

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Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans: Preview

The Suns enter this game behind another streaky run, with two wins and losses in their past four outings. Late-game offense and inconsistent defensive focus continue to doom Frank Vogel's star-studded roster. The Suns haven't found a sustainable solution, jeopardizing their chances of securing a top-six seed.

Since March, the Suns haven't hit any significant strides, going 8-7. Their offense is ranked 12th since then, with a 115.8 efficiency, while their defense is 19th, with a 114.6 rating. The Suns' offense is in the bottom-three in the fourth quarter, while their defense is 23rd.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans have seemed to be the better team, even if their identical record to the Suns over their past four games suggests otherwise. They've also had tough matchups against the Thunder and Celtics, which they lost in Brandon Ingram's absence.

New Orleans is 10-4 since March, with a 115.7 rated offense (13th) and third-best defense, with a 107.2 rating. They will rely on their length and size on the perimeter against the Suns' masterful offensive big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

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Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans: Starting lineups, subs and rotations

Suns starting lineup

PG - Devin Booker, SG - Bradley Beal, SF - Grayson Allen, PF - Kevin Durant, C - Jusuf Nurkic

The Suns are nearly healthy, with Damion Lee, a staple on the injury reports, being the only absentee. The rotations could tighten up with a playoff-type situation and the seedings on the line. Eric Gordon, Josh Okogie, Royce O'Neale and Drew Eubanks will likely play the most minutes off the bench.

PG - CJ McCollum, SG - Trey Murphy III, SF - Herbert Jones, PF - Zion Williamson, C - Jonas Valanciunas

The Pelicans will remain without Brandon Ingram and Jose Alvarado. Dyson Daniels could see significant time on the floor with Naji Marshall and Larry Nance Jr.

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Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans: Betting Tips

Zion Williamson's points total is 26.5. He's favored to go over after doing so in his past four consecutive games.

Meanwhile, Devin Booker's points total is 25.5 for this contest. He's favored to go over. Booker has scored under 20 in his last game. You can expect a strong comeback from him.

Kevin Durant's total is over 24.5 points. He has scored at least 26 in his past three games, so the momentum is on his side to replicate that on Monday.

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Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans: Prediction

The oddsmakers have slightly favored the Phoenix Suns to win with a -115 money line. But the New Orleans Pelicans are predicted to cover the spread, and it could be a close contest.

The Pelicans boast the defensive depth to disrupt the Suns' offense early. If it goes down to the wire, New Orleans might come out ahead with homecourt advantage, and the Suns could struggle in the fourth quarter.