basketball | Monday, March 6, 2023 10:49 AM

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet: Kings To Light The Beam Yet Again

Sam Cox

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet: Monday, March 6th

The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Sacramento Kings by 32 points just last month. New Orleans is 5.5-point underdogs for the matchup in north California on Monday night, however, with Sacramento in striking distance of the two seed in the Western Conference. The Pels are 31-33 on the season, with an abysmal 8-20 record and the 25th net rating in 2023.

Sliding to 2-6 over its last eight, the Pelicans remain without Zion Williamson. Jose Alvarado and E.J. Liddell are also out. Jonas Valanciunas, Josh Richardson and Larry Nance Jr all sat out on Friday night, too. They are 14-21 without Williamson in 2022-23.

Sacramento has been the healthiest team in the league this term, and that continues for this game with Richaun Holmes the only player to appear on the injury report.

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Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Preview
Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Preview

Tue, Mar 07. 03:10 (UK time)

Just five teams boast a better net rating than Sacramento this calendar year. Their defence remains woeful, but the offence is humming. Their 122.4 offensive rating in 2023 is 2.5 points better than Philadelphia in second (that’s the same gap between second and ninth).

Sacramento has built this impressive season on a lively atmosphere at home. This is the team’s best season in well over a decade, and it has become a very difficult place to visit. New Orleans, meanwhile, are a poor road team, covering the spread in under 40% of their away games. In their last five road games, the Pelicans have lost by over 4.5 points on seven occasions.

With Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum expected to suit up, New Orleans have the offensive firepower to cause this Kings defence some problems. A lot of Sacramento’s games have been close, partly because they can’t get stops. New Orleans’ offence is not exactly firing on all cylinders, however, ranking 20th over the last 10 games. Season-long shot quality heavily favours the Kings thanks to their ability to generate open threes.

Sacramento Kings vs New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet

It will take something special from Ingram and McCollum for the Pelicans to cover this spread on the road. The possibility of Valanciunas and Nance being out leaves the Pels thin on the interior too, which makes them vulnerable to the bullyball of Domantas Sabonis.

Not so long ago, these teams were neck-and-neck near the top of the West. The Pelicans have quietly tumbled down the standings, and now face an uphill battle to cling onto a play-in berth. Sacramento just keeps playing its offence-first basketball and racking up wins.

We are backing the Kings to light the beam on Monday night and do so by at least five points.