Suns vs Pelicans

NBA odds, picks, and predictions for the New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns on December 17. NBA betting best bet and free pick analysis.

Booker struggled with his shot against the Clippers (6-for-22 from the field) after dealing with a hamstring injury this week, but the Suns still shot 46% on Thursday night. The Pelicans got the better of the Suns in both games this month, with the second meeting going to overtime before New Orleans prevailed 129-124. The Pelicans still have something to prove on their travels against the top-tier Finals contenders. They’re 1-6 ATS in their last seven road games against a team with a home winning percentage greater than .600. The hosts’ offense looks a bit different with Bismack Biyombo at center, but that should just mean more touches for Bridges, who’s had two 27-point performances in his last three games. While the Pelicans are still without Brandon Ingram, these two teams are packed with reliable scorers. I like the New Orleans guard to continue his improved play here –—he should get up 15 or more field goal attempts and this prop doesn’t even require an elite scoring night. But New Orleans, briefly in top spot in the West, is sputtering a little after back-to-back losses to the Utah Jazz this week. New Orleans is also 1-9 ATS in its last 10 Saturday games. With Phoenix likely to throw double teams at Williamson when he gets deep post position, McCollum should get plenty of open looks and clear driving lanes tonight. But there have been encouraging signs of McCollum turning the corner over the past week. Clippers team snapped a five-game losing run, with Devin Booker returning after sitting out the prior two games.

Joe Dellera breaks down the NBA matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns and shares his top betting pick.

[assists](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/props/assists) last game, with the majority coming in the second half. I struggle to see how the Suns will limit the Pelicans’ interior attack that is significantly better than whatever lineup the [Clippers](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/odds/los-angeles-clippers) trotted out against them on Thursday night. I’ll grab the points and the moneyline with them as a road dog. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Nonetheless, the Suns have played relatively well against the Pelicans, at least in terms of shot profile. This game pits two of the league’s best against each other. While the Suns took the first matchup of the season back in October, the Pelicans won both games this past week. [points](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/props/points) in both games–and that was with a healthy Deandre Ayton. The Suns have had a bit less luck with the injury bug and will be without Ayton (ankle), Cam Payne (foot), Duane Washington Jr. Who can take this pivotal game between two of the top teams in the West? New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) reacts as he walks down court in the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in New Orleans, Friday, Oct. Get up-to-the-minute [NBA odds](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/odds)here.

Find Suns vs. Pelicans predictions, betting odds, moneyline, spread, over/under and more for the December 17 NBA matchup.

We go over some of the best betting options for Saturday's matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns.

Even with Ingram and Ayton out, the Pelicans and Suns should smash this number. Devin Booker coming back in the mix helps Phoenix but losing Ayton is a tough blow against this specific team. This rematch from the first round of the 2022 playoffs has been entertaining and this could be a low-key rivalry brewing in the Western conference.

Devin Booker, who missed two games because of hamstring tightness, returned against the Clippers and scored 14 points. Mikal Bridges led the way with 27 points ...

But it wasn't enough to prevent the Pelicans from falling to 1-4 in overtime games. Zion Williamson, who scored a season-high 35 points in both of the wins against Phoenix, had two baskets and an assist in overtime to finish with 31 points. The Pelicans fell behind again in the fourth quarter, but tied the score on Trey Murphy III's 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left. The game went to overtime when Larry Nance Jr. "I know they were missing some players, but they're still in the league. Mikal Bridges led the way with 27 points as Phoenix ended a season-long five-game losing streak by beating the Clippers, who played without five key players, including Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

Joe Dellera breaks down the NBA matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns and shares his top betting pick.

I struggle to see how the Suns will limit the Pelicans’ interior attack that is significantly better than whatever lineup the [Clippers](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/odds/los-angeles-clippers) trotted out against them on Thursday night. [assists](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/props/assists) last game, with the majority coming in the second half. I’ll grab the points and the moneyline with them as a road dog. [points](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/props/points) in both games–and that was with a healthy Deandre Ayton. This game pits two of the league’s best against each other. Nonetheless, the Suns have played relatively well against the Pelicans, at least in terms of shot profile. Ayton is a large part of that – the Suns shoot 5% better at the rim and 1.1% better from 3 with him on the floor, While the Suns took the first matchup of the season back in October, the Pelicans won both games this past week. The Suns have had a bit less luck with the injury bug and will be without Ayton (ankle), Cam Payne (foot), Duane Washington Jr. (hip) and Cam Johnson (knee). Who can take this pivotal game between two of the top teams in the West? Get up-to-the-minute [NBA odds](https://www.actionnetwork.com/nba/odds)here.