Game Time: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, April 28th, 2022 

Venue:  Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 

Where to Watch: TNT

DraftKings:  Suns -1.5; O/U 214

Fanduel:  Suns -2; O/U 213

BetMGM: Suns -1.5; O/U 214.5

Suns: 64-18, 1st place Western Conference

Pelicans: 36-46, 8th place Western Conference

A Western Conference NBA Playoff First Round matchup between the 1st Seed and the 8th Seed with lots of tense moments and surprises.  So far it has been “every other”... or “Odds and evens.”  However you want to say the Suns won game 1, the Pelicans won game 2, the Suns won game 3, the Pelicans won Game 4, the Suns won game 5.  Back and forth like a tennis match with dunking.  The ATS mark has gone the same way… The Suns are 3-2 ATS while the Pelicans are 2-3 ATS.  The point spread in this one is going to be small.  The Books have seen 1.5 to 2… while a spread that small may turn a buzzer beater into a BAD BEAT… it is a playoff equivalent of a PK’em.  The Suns are supposed to be dominating this series each and every game… but without SG Devin Booker they have looked entirely beatable.  The Pelicans on the other hand will be at home…a necessary bonus for a team that is relying on so many young and inexperienced guys in key minutes and situations.

The Phoenix Suns should have been preparing for the next round by now.  They are 3-2 in this series and allowing it to drag in way too long.  A big part of the problem is they coasted through most of the season with a great team that featured 3 star players and loads of depth.  However even teams like that MUST raise their game a bit in the postseason… because EVERYONE ELSE WILL!  (sorry for raising my voice).  In the last game the Suns won by allowing SF Mikal Bridges (the Suns best all around player) to be the target of crisp passes on offense.  Mikal responded with 31 points, 5 rbs, 2 asts.  Bridges shooting numbers were fantastic 12 of 17 while shooting 4 of 4 from 3-point range.  CP3 was 0-4 from the 3-point line.. But still finished with 22 points, 6 rbs and 11 assists.  This team must get more out of PG Cameron Payne and SG Cameron Johnson… those two guys are supposed to be filling in for Devin Booker… especially since backup SG Landry Shamet seems lost out there.

The New Orleans Pelicans are 2-3 in a series they were supposed to have been swept out of!  They are 2-3 ATS as they are always the underdog when Vegas rates this match-up.  Then why have they stolen a few games and played so well?.... The easy answer is SF Brandon Ingram has the potential to be the best teammate LeBron James ever got rid of.  And CJ McCollum wasn’t just a #2 to Damian Lilliard in Portland… McCollum is a legit leading man who can play either guard spot.  That is the easy answer… but the more correct answer is that head coach Willie Green coached up and empowered some unheralded guys and given them the room to become stars themselves… Specifically PG Jose Alvarado and SF/PF/SG Herbert Jones have risen to actual full-time ballers at the NBA level… Jose is an undrafted rookie while Herbert Jones is a rookie 2nd round pick… they are both great on the defensive end.  Herbert had a great game in game 4 and the Pelicans won… Herbert had a dud in Game 5 and the Pelicans lost… Herbert Jones is literally the difference.  PG Jose Alvarado assured several seasons of NBA employment when he manned up on Chris Paul full court and twice (in game 5) forced CP3 into 8-second violations.  

Al McMordie is unloading 3 big winners on Thursday for his NBA 3-game package (a mix of sides and totals).  He is currently on a red-hot 39-22 all basketball run! Get Big Al’ picks right now!  Make winning the thing you do from now on!! Stay with BigAl.com throughout the NBA Playoffs and let’s grow that bankroll! You can discover the best  picks right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers. NCAAF, NFL, MLB, college football… get positive value from all your bets! Expert picks!  Fun fact… winning a wager is much better than making a wager!

The Suns are 67-20 on the season, but 47-40 ATS.  They have logged 43 Overs, 43 Unders, and 1 Push.  They are 33-10 in road games.

The Pelicans are 40-49 on the season, but 43-43-1 ATS.  They have notched 35 Overs, 50 Unders, and 2 Push. They are 21-23 in home games. 

The Suns are 5th in scoring with 114.8 ppg, 10th in rebounds with 45.3, and 3rd in AST/TO ratio with 2.1.  On defense they rank 9th while allowing 107.3 ppg from opponents.

The Pelicans are 21st in scoring with 109.3 ppg, 11th in rebounds with 45.2, and 16th in AST/TO ratio with 1.8.  On defense they rank 13th with 110.3 ppg from opponents.

Our prediction for Thursday, April 28th is…..  Suns 110 - Pelicans 102

The Suns will also close out.  The Playoffs have been topsy turvy with Toronto pushing a stacked Philly team in the East and New Orleans pushing a stacked Phoenix team in the West.  Both matchups will find the young upstarts running out of bullets in the fire fight.  They have already done so much… but gravity will eventually bring them down… and Thursday night is “eventually” 

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All 7 games in this series have gone OVER in New Orleans the last 3 seasons.

Phoenix is 15-4 ATS when the line is +3 to -3 

New Orleans is 58 OVER and 34 Under since 1996 when the total is set 210 to 219.5 in home games.

Suns: SG Devin Booker (hammy) Out ** SF Dario Saric (knee) Out

Pelicans: SF Brandon Ingram (finger) Probable ** PF Zion Williamson (foot) (wasting space) Out ** PG Kira Lewis Jr (knee) Out

Suns: SF Mikal Bridges, PF Jae Crowder, C Deandre Ayton, PG Chris Paul, SG Cameron Johnson

Pelicans: PF Jaxson Hayes, SF Brandon Ingram *, C Jonas Valanciunas, PG Herbert Jones, SG CJ McCollum

Statistical Leaders

Suns: Monty Williams

Pelicans: Willie Green