The Los Angeles Lakers will face the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, April 14th, 2024 (3:40 PM ET). This is one of the few games in the day that does not have a double-digit spread. Both teams need a victory and that makes the game different from a lot of the other games on Sunday. The Pelicans are favored in the game at -3.0 (bet365) but this was an unsteady market at the time of writing. My Lakers vs Pelicans prediction focuses on LeBron James and his prop bets.
NBA Game Preview at a Glance
Away: Los Angeles Lakers
Home: New Orleans Pelicans
Game time: Sunday, April 14th, 2024 @ 3:40 PM ET
Lakers vs Pelicans odds (home team's spread): -3.0 (bet365)
Los Angeles vs New Orleans Prediction: Latest NBA Headlines
The situation with the LA Lakers is pretty straightforward. If they win on Sunday, then they will have the No. 8 seed. If they lose, then LA fans will be looking at the scoreboard for games involving the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors. Both of these teams own the tiebreaker against the Lakers. LA cannot ascend to the No. 7 seed at this point as that is out of reach now. They are playing to avoid a worse fate than the 8 seed.
The Lakers last played on Friday, a game that they won over the Memphis Grizzlies 123-120. Previously, they dropped games to Minnesota and Golden State. But the Lakers have generally been climbing over the last several weeks. They were two games under .500 in late January. They've improved to 46-35 since that time.
Los Angeles Lakers injuries: recent news
As of Saturday afternoon, the team has a clear depth chart. Even Anthony Day-to-Davis and LeBron James are active when normally they are questionable. But Jarred Vanderbilt still has not appeared in a game since February 1st.
Double-check for playing status updates with Los Angeles (17:19 ET time of writing): Team's Depth Chart
New Orleans Pelicans injuries: recent news
The New Orleans Pelicans have won four in a row to improve to 49-32. The team played on Thursday and Friday, posting wins over Sacramento and Golden State. The Pelicans need the win over the Lakers to guarantee that they avoid the play-in tournament. The Phoenix Suns hold the tiebreaker with New Orleans, so if the Pelicans lose and Phoenix wins, then the Pelicans will drop down to the 7 seed. That will leave them playing the Lakers all over again in the play-in tournament.
Naj Marshall and Larry Nance Jr. missed the game on Friday. Marshall has a shoulder injury while Nance Jr. missed due to personal reasons. These are players with updates pending. Otherwise, New Orleans is in shape for his upcoming game.
Double-check status updates New Orleans (17:19 ET time of writing):: Team's Depth Chart
Lakers vs Pelicans Prediction: Betting Tips
I am expecting this game to be the LeBron James show. My recommendation is to take OVER 25.5 points for James at -120 (bet365). Also, I would take a dabble on long odds for him to score the first bucket of the game because the line is way out at +900 (bet365). I also don't mind James at 35+ for point milestones at +475 (bet365). With a tight spread, this is a game where you would expect big minutes to the starters. Also, it has some overtime potential which can lead to increased stats.
Additional reading: ATP Ranking Projections
