2024 Play-In Tournament (West): #7 New Orleans Pelicans vs #8 Los Angeles Lakers

[ChipotleWest]

We're finally going to find out who won the trade when the Pelicans traded Anthony Davis to the Lakers.




/s

[Mrakar]

Why are the Pelicans betting favourites(small, but still favourites) for this match??? There has to be a reason, and its not basketball for sure. Davis situation? Denver situation?

[SlimShady83]

We/Lakers Want Denver!

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

I am a conspiracy theorist. The Broadcasters make millions more money LeBron and the Lakers get a playoff series. Broadcaster money eventually translates into money for the league. The commissioner could let the Pelicans win because the League gets a 2nd chance to get the Lakers into the Playoffs by having the Lakers beat the Winner of Warriors Kings. I do not think the commissioner will take any chances. I think the Commissioner will order the refs to rig the game for the Lakers to win which would lead to a highly rated Lakers Nuggets series.

I do think the Pelicans are the better team but not so much better that the refs will have a problem making sure that the Lakers win.

Where can I place a bet of freethrow differential?

The Lakers beat the doors off of NO with just a +4 free throw differential, which was honestly depressed given how many continuations the refs wiped off.

Here's a conspiracy theory for you: the Lakers' value is actually depressed during the regular season because of teambuilding quirks and a below average coach and they're actually one of the best teams in the league in high-level basketball games because they employ the best player of all time and a top 3 defender in the league, who are superstars at the 4 and 5, a combination which no other team has.

Spread the word to the lemmings.

I did not watch the Lakers Pelicans game.
I don’t know the history of how Zion normally plays vs Davis. Is Davis a Zion stopper? Bad Health is what usually stops Davis and Zion.

I looked at the Lakers Pelicans box score and all recent Pelicans box scores.
I am familiar with Pelicans and Lakers recent results and schedules- Schedule and road trip may have worked against Pelicans. Pelicans should have been ready to play their A game vs the Lakers but I have a hunch that Pelicans did not play their A game vs Lakers. Did Davis defense defeat the Pelicans or did the schedule defeat the Pelicans? How many games in a row can you play big games before you come out flat for a game?

[levon]

I am a conspiracy theorist. The Broadcasters make millions more money LeBron and the Lakers get a playoff series. Broadcaster money eventually translates into money for the league. The commissioner could let the Pelicans win because the League gets a 2nd chance to get the Lakers into the Playoffs by having the Lakers beat the Winner of Warriors Kings. I do not think the commissioner will take any chances. I think the Commissioner will order the refs to rig the game for the Lakers to win which would lead to a highly rated Lakers Nuggets series.

I do think the Pelicans are the better team but not so much better that the refs will have a problem making sure that the Lakers win.

Where can I place a bet of freethrow differential?

The Lakers beat the doors off of NO with just a +4 free throw differential, which was honestly depressed given how many continuations the refs wiped off.

Here's a conspiracy theory for you: the Lakers' value is actually depressed during the regular season because of teambuilding quirks and a below average coach and they're actually one of the best teams in the league in high-level basketball games because they employ the best player of all time and a top 3 defender in the league, who are superstars at the 4 and 5, a combination which no other team has.

Spread the word to the lemmings.

I did not watch the Lakers Pelicans game.
I don’t know the history of how Zion normally plays vs Davis. Is Davis a Zion stopper? Bad Health is what usually stops Davis and Zion.

I looked at the Lakers Pelicans box score and all recent Pelicans box scores.
I am familiar with Pelicans and Lakers recent results and schedules- Schedule and road trip may have worked against Pelicans. Pelicans should have been ready to play their A game vs the Lakers but I have a hunch that Pelicans did not play their A game vs Lakers. Did Davis defense defeat the Pelicans or did the schedule defeat the Pelicans? How many games in a row can you play big games before you come out flat for a game?

I did not watch the Lakers Pelicans game.

I looked at the Lakers Pelicans box score and all recent Pelicans box scores.

This is exactly the way you shouldn't consume basketball/sports.

[Benedict_Boozer]

This is a bad matchup for the Pels. Lebron physically is one of the only people on earth who can match-up with Zion, it's like two super athletes but one is way more savvy/experienced and in hyper shape.

I don't like it for them. On the other hand, if the Lakers win they are screwed drawing DEN.

[NbaAllDay]

I reckon you want Denver early as fresh as possible.

Last year Lebron was looking gassed in Q4 and Murray legit had his best playoff series ever.

You need to play them eventually, maybe as well throw it all at them round 1.

Lebron also shot poorly outside last year, very different this year.

Likely still losing but if they take a game or 2 early it's a possibility.

[ChipotleWest]

I am a conspiracy theorist. The Broadcasters make millions more money LeBron and the Lakers get a playoff series. Broadcaster money eventually translates into money for the league. The commissioner could let the Pelicans win because the League gets a 2nd chance to get the Lakers into the Playoffs by having the Lakers beat the Winner of Warriors Kings. I do not think the commissioner will take any chances. I think the Commissioner will order the refs to rig the game for the Lakers to win which would lead to a highly rated Lakers Nuggets series.

I do think the Pelicans are the better team but not so much better that the refs will have a problem making sure that the Lakers win.

Where can I place a bet of freethrow differential?

The Lakers beat the doors off of NO with just a +4 free throw differential, which was honestly depressed given how many continuations the refs wiped off.

Here's a conspiracy theory for you: the Lakers' value is actually depressed during the regular season because of teambuilding quirks and a below average coach and they're actually one of the best teams in the league in high-level basketball games because they employ the best player of all time and a top 3 defender in the league, who are superstars at the 4 and 5, a combination which no other team has.

Spread the word to the lemmings.

The Lakers employee Michael Jordan?

[durden_tyler]

Line still throwing me off... Just Lakers +1 despite the LA domination this season and especially the last game.

The question now is if you can trust the Pelicans to at least play at the level of this inspired Lakers squad...

[John Murdoch]

Line still throwing me off... Just Lakers +1 despite the LA domination this season and especially the last game.

The question now is if you can trust the Pelicans to at least play at the level of this inspired Lakers squad...

Vegas implying Ingram wont be as rusty

[durden_tyler]

Line still throwing me off... Just Lakers +1 despite the LA domination this season and especially the last game.

The question now is if you can trust the Pelicans to at least play at the level of this inspired Lakers squad...

Vegas implying Ingram wont be as rusty

Eh same Vegas implication in the last game (where the Pelicans opened -3 i believe) and that was the wrong assumption too.

That, or the Lakers just have these NO number damned whatever Vegas thinks.

[Mrakar]

I was mostly writing depressing posts about Pels in this and previous gameday thread because i see almost no chance of this version of Pelicans beating the Lakers, but i will now write someting constructive.
Here is what i think Pels have to do in order to have any chance of beating the Lakers.

1. Nance-Valanciunas situation. If Willie Green thinks Valanciunas can't play in this match, he should start Nance from minute one and let Jonas "cook" against Lakers bench. There is no point of starting Jonas and benching him after 3-4 minutes. Pels are not going to give Jonas the ball with Zion/CJ/Ingram on the floor, why dont let him come in from the bench during Zion bench minutes and let him play in the post vs Jaxson Hayes or even try to get AD into foul trouble. Yes i know, Pelicans suck at rebounding, but those 4 minutes of him in the first quarter will not help.

2. Get Lebron of Zion. Lebron plays Zion perfectly, he is strong, smart and refs will swallow the whistle. Pels have to find the way to get him of Zion. That is not possible with Zion as playmaker since Lebron will go under every screen, and i will not even mention those dumb ghost screens that Willie is running all the time which don't bring anything to Zion or Trey Murphy... They need to put the ball into CJ or Ingram's hands, and let Zion be the screener, in that case they can force Lebron to pick up CJ/Ingram and Zion will be left with someone else. If they try to reswitch at least you have some advantage if you react quickly.

3. Get D'Lo and Reaves into more actions. Lakers will use every chance to get CJ into the their actions, and Pels let Reaves and D'Lo stay out of it. That is just not smart basketball. CJ is doing his dumb dancing and pulling-up for no reason, Ingram with his turnaround fadeaways, when they can get these 2 into action and try to cook them.

4. Naji Marshall/Jose Alvarado fire - we need those 2 guys to set the fire under their teammates. Yes Naji was injured, but they need him for couple of minutes this game. This guy wants all the smoke and unless Alvarado, he at least has the size to do something. Pels starting lineup is awful whole year because its consisted of guys that are too quiet. We need Marshall first of the bench, not Daniels, Marshall!

5. Willie Green - im not sure what is wrong with this guy, but he is only coach in the league that is not getting any tehnical fouls. First quarter last game, Pels get hacked 3 possessions in a row and he is doing nothing. On the other side Lebron is screaming at the refs after those 3 possessions bcs he got touched a bit. 2 plays after, Lebron makes a pass with half of his foot on the line(with ref standing next to him), Lakers get transition 3 and started blowing this game out. Willie needs to be on refs ass from minute 1, if he gets ejected i dont care, assistants can finish the job, i would argue Borrego is far better offensive coach then Willie is. We all know Pels are not getting any favours from the refs against Lakers, but lets just try to keep it close.



There is a lot of more stuff that need to go right in order for Pels to win this(get hot from 3 is one of them), but if we dont do the stuff i wrote above, we have almost no chance.

[PistolPeteJR]

The prospect of playing the thunder is enticing, but it's a huge risk to throw this game and then beat the warriors in the last play-in game.

No one will ever throw a play-in game. Also Lakers have been dominated by the Warriors and Kings this season.

By the Kings, yes, but they’re missing two key pieces.
By the Warriors, no. AD played in one game, left very early in another, and LeBron missed the third. The game where both played? They won.

[Dirk]

Why are the Pelicans betting favourites(small, but still favourites) for this match??? There has to be a reason, and its not basketball for sure. Davis situation? Denver situation?

Mamba Mentality is betting heavily on the Pels.

[durden_tyler]

Uh oh, if Pels is the public pick, they won’t get help from the refs. LOL

[JustBuzzin]

I'm not betting but listening to Paul Pierce on Undisputed saying the Lakers will have the help of the refs makes me think the Lakers are going to win this.

[EmpireFalls]

The Pelicans -1.5 is such a trap line that I’m beginning to actually believe they win this game. Nothing absolutely nothing suggests they should be favourites in this one and yet they are.

Something stinks and I think it may be AD’s back.

[Me Like Lakers]

Vegas' objective isn't being right, but evenly splitting the bets.

The Lakers are an usually heavily betted side by the public, meaning Vegas normally has to give better odds for the opposition.

The line giving the favoritism to the Pelicans should mean public (or huge money) is heavy on their side.

[durden_tyler]

Vegas' objective isn't being right, but evenly splitting the bets.

The Lakers are an usually heavily betted side by the public, meaning Vegas normally has to give better odds for the opposition.

The line giving the favoritism to the Pelicans should mean public (or huge money) is heavy on their side.

True but the line moved (started even) and now in Pels’ favor (meaning lots of Pels bets). So a weird line movement considering it should now be Lakers +. But hey maybe it balances out by gametime.

[SK21209]

Not shocked to see the Pelicans favored. In a playoff series its pretty rare for a road team to win Games 1 and 2 or Games 3 and 4 on the road unless its just a massive talent disparity, which this isn't. If this was a say a 4/5 series in the first round and the road team just won Game 3 to go up 2-1, the home team would be similarly favored in Game 4.