Lakers vs Pelicans Prediction & Player Prop Picks (4/14): Will LeBron Drop Another 30-Piece?

The Los Angeles Lakers already know that they will be playing in an NBA play-in tournament game, but who will they tangle with Tuesday or Wednesday. If they beat the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center today (3:30 pm ET, ESPN), their next game could very well be against the same team at the same venue.

Entering the final day of the NBA regular season, the Lakers (46-35) are penciled in as the #8 seed. If seedings hold, they will travel to Phoenix to take on the Suns in a #7 vs #8 play-in matchup.

But if they win in New Orleans and Phoenix wins at Minnesota, they will be back at the Smoothie King Center for a #7 vs #8 matchup.

That would be the worst-case scenario for the Pelicans (49-32), who will secure the #6 seed and a spot in the first round with either a win or a Suns loss to the Timberwolves.

Will the Lakers wrap up a rematch with the Pelicans, or will New Orleans give themselves a few extra days to rest up for a first-round matchup with Minnesota, Oklahoma City, or Denver? Read on.

Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on the final day of the NBA regular season.

Spread

• Los Angeles Lakers +3.5 (-115)
• New Orleans Pelicans -3.5 (-105)

Over/Under

• Over 230.5 (-110)
• Under 230.5 (-110)

With all 30 teams in action today, a busy day of NBA betting action is ahead. Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for all 15 games, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Analysis and Prediction

Three losses in their last 13 games is enough to take the Lakers out of contention for a top-six seed, but this 10-3 stretch indicates that LeBron and co. are playing some solid basketball overall at the right time.

In that stretch, the Lakers are 6-1 on the road. Since a 109-90 loss at Indiana on March 29, L.A. has won four straight on the road, including Friday’s 123-120 win at Memphis.

That game was tighter than the Lakers might have wanted to be, but a win is a win, especially when it is accompanied by your #8 seed rivals both losing on the same night.

Can they lock up that #8 seed today? For the season, the Lakers are 9-14 SU and 12-11 as a road underdog. That includes a 129-109 loss in New Orleans as a 5.5-point underdog on New Year’s Eve.

The Pelicans enter today’s game with four consecutive wins, but they don’t have a sparkling record as a home favorite. For the season, they are just 16-13 SU and 14-15 ATS as a home favorite, and they are 0-3 SU and ATS in their last three such games.

This matchup is a tough one to call for me. The Lakers, as frustrating as they can be, have been on a nice run, and LeBron and AD have delivered numerous clutch performances in games they needed to win during this 10-3 stretch.

But the Pelicans appear to have righted the ship after a four-game losing streak, and they are at home for this one.

I think it will be tight, but I like what the Lakers have done on the road recently.

Lakers vs Pelicans Prediction: Lakers to cover and win

Best Player Prop Bets for Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans

LeBron James (Lakers) Over 26.5 Points (-105 at Bovada) & Over 41.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-121 at BetOnline)

LeBron had 37 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in Friday’s win over the Grizzlies and is averaging 28.4 PPG, 9.4 APG, and 6.2 RPG in five games in April.

It’s also worth noting that Sundays are his best day as a scorer, just as they are for Orlando’s Paolo Banchero.

In nine Sunday games, LeBron is averaging 30.4 PPG while shooting 58.9% from the field and 50.9% from three. He also averages 8.0 APG and 7.3 RPG on Sundays and has gone over 41.5 P + R + A in six of nine Sunday games.

Anthony Davis (Lakers) Over 37.5 Points + Rebounds (-110 at Bovada)

Will AD have a big game in a big moment against his former team? He has been a monster on the road recently, averaging 29.0 PPG and 16.0 RPG in his last six road games.

CJ McCollum (Pelicans) Over 23.5 Points (+105 at Bovada) & Over 3.5 Made Threes (-143 at BetOnline)

Over his last six games, McCollum has scored 36, 31, 31, 29, 31, and 28 points while shooting 49.6% from the field and 53.5% from three. And in those six games, he has made five, four, seven, five, nine, and eight threes. I expect another productive performance for McCollum today against the Lakers, win or lose.

Other NBA Betting Information

Where to Bet on the NBA

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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