On Saturday, 03/15, the San Antonio Spurs (27-37) will host the New Orleans Pelicans (18-49) in a Western Conference Regular-Season match-up. The Spurs have hovered around the 12th spot in the West, whereas the Pelicans have the second-worst record in the Conference. Can the Spurs prevail against the vulnerable Pels in a back-to-back situation? Read about the preview, total predictions, and player props here.
Spurs: Their defense has taken a vacation
The Spurs will come into this match-up after playing against the Charlotte Hornets the previous night. Before that, they stamped home a 10-point win against the Dallas Mavericks behind a top-notch 32-point effort by De’Aaron Fox. The victory broke a three-game losing steak, and they are 6-12 without their ace Victor Wembaynama. It wasn’t like they were winning a ton with Wemby(21-25), but his absence has deflated the campaign completely. Their defense was somehow sub-par with Wemby, but it has been in tatters since he was out for the last 12 games, and they have given up 123.3 points per game(2nd worst) in the period. De’Aaron Fox has struggled for the most part, but he was coming into his own before his season-ending surgery. Stephon Castle has been terrific, but the team lacks the two-way strength to make a play-in tournament push.
Expected Starting Lineup
PG: Stephon Castle | PG: Chris Paul | SG/SF: Devin Vassell | SF/PF: Harrison Barnes | C: BIsmack Biyombo
Key Injuries/Updates: De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama are OUT for the season.
Pelicans: In abysmal condition
The New Orleans Pelicans will come into this game after a disappointing 20-point loss against the Orlando Magic despite a 20-point performance by Zion Williamson. It was their fifth loss in six games, a common theme throughout the season. The Pels have never been in the playoffs contention throughout the season and even their full-strength lineups failed to make any impact. The team did unearth a gem in Trey Murphy III while Williamson has been in the best shape of his life, but there are a lot of question marks about the direction of the struggling franchise.
Expected Starting Lineup
PG/SG: CJ McCollum | SG: Trey Murphy III | SF: Bruce Brown| SF/PF: Zion Williamson | C: Karlo Matkovic
Key Injuries/Updates: Herbert Jones and Dejounte Murray are OUT for the season. Brandon Boston Jr. can be OUT till the third week of March. The status of Kelly Olynyk and Yves Missi is UNCLEAR.
The Spurs will come after playing the previous night, implying exhaustion. Their offense will take a further hit without De’Aaron Fox, so perhaps the inconsistent Jeremy Sochan will be in for extended minutes. On the other hand, the Pels have been disappointing on the offensive end and can follow good scoring efforts with lackadaisical showing. However, I expect them to come up with a solid offensive night. I see both teams scoring at least 110, but the total may be below 235 here.
Projected Predictions:
Stephon Castle to score over 23.5 points: The Rookie of the Year favorite has tallied around 20 PPG since the beginning of the month. He will be the focal point of the offense after Fox’s injury, making him likely to cross the 20-point barrier more often. He can be in the 25-27 range here.
Keldon Johnson to score over 16.5 points: The Spurs forward has averaged 17 PPG in the last five games. He will play a big role in the offense and can be in the 17-20 points range here.
Zion Williamson to stack over 9.5 rebounds: The Pelicans forward has clasped 7.5 rebounds per game in the last four games. I expect him to have his third 10-rebound night in five games.
Trey Murphy III to nail over 3.5 triples: The Pels sharpshooter has made 3 three-pointers per game this season. I expect him to convert 4 or more triples here.
The Spurs will be playing the second one on the second night, but the Pels are not exactly known to exploit such advantages. However, Zion Williamson will be a handful for the home team here, bringing a decisive advantage to the visitors. I fancy a win for Williamson and Co. by around 6-8 points here.
Safe Spread Pick: Pelicans -5.5 for +115 at BetMGM
Photo Credit: Stephen Lew- Imagn Images
nba 
