The New Orleans Pelicans (12-36) and Oklahoma City Thunder (37-10) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The game will broadcast live on Gulf Coast Sports.
The Thunder are 14.5-point favorites over the Pelicans on the spread (Thunder -14.5), with the over/under set at 233.5 total points. Oklahoma City is a -900 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while New Orleans is +600 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Pelicans vs. Thunder predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, January 27.
Pelicans vs Thunder Prediction, Picks
- Pelicans vs Thunder pick: Under 233.5 (-110)
My Pelicans vs Thunder best bet is on the Under at 233.5 total points, with the best price currently available at bet365, but make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Pelicans vs Thunder Odds
| Pelicans Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+14.5 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | +600 |
| Thunder Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-14.5 -110 | 233.5 -110o / -110u | -900 |
Pelicans vs Thunder NBA Preview
There are a number of injuries on the Thunder side, particularly to offensive players.
Ajay Mitchell isn't going to play. J-Dub isn’t going to play. Obviously, Hartenstein isn’t going to play either. All of that downgrades OKC’s shooting profile.
The Thunder just lost to the Raptors and the Pacers, marking the first time they’ve dropped two home games since 2023, and a lot of that had to do with their contested shooting splits.
If New Orleans is able to apply some on-ball pressure here, they should be in a good spot, while OKC may have to lean heavily on its defense.
The Pelicans are also a team worth monitoring in these situations.
When they go under in the previous game, they tend to go over, a 13-9 trend this season. However, five of their last eight games have gone under after going under the previous game.
Part of that likely comes down to health. With more guys back, New Orleans has been playing more seriously and with less inexperience across the roster, which can naturally slow things down.
Pelicans vs Thunder Prediction, Betting Analysis
I'm on the Thunder-Pelicans under 233.5. I watched this number move up on the screen and briefly turn into what looked like an over spot, and I disagreed with it. It felt like it hit its ceiling at 235.5 and then started working its way back down.
At this stage of the market, the under feels like the correct directional play. I have this game modeled about two points lower.
I have this total projected at 232.7. I disagreed with the initial over steam, and hopefully that was just someone trying to pump-fake the market and push the number higher.
Now that it's settled back at 233.5, this looks like a clear under spot.
Pick: Under 233.5 (-110)
Thunder vs Pelicans Betting Trends
