The San Antonio Spurs strolled to a 125-92 victory in Dallas to open their season on Wednesday night, while the New Orleans Pelicans fell 128-122 in Memphis.
San Antonio was led to victory by Victor Wembanyama, who put up an otherworldly performance on opening night that caused his NBA MVP odds to skyrocket.
The oddsmakers have the Spurs as road favorites after their opening night showing.
Can Wembanyama make it look easy in the Big Easy?
Let’s take a look at the odds, players to watch and my prediction for Friday night’s matchup.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread
Moneyline
Total
Spurs Injury Report
Pelicans Injury Report
Spurs Best NBA Prop Bet
Victor Wembanyama put up a historic performance in the season opener with 40 points and 15 rebounds, but he only made one 3-pointer. Granted, he didn’t really need to do much from deep when he was dominating like he was, and he did only attempt two shots from long range.
The Pelicans may try their best they can to keep Wembanyama to the outside, and he’ll be happy to oblige.
Wembanyama averaged 3.1 3-pointers made per game on 8.8 attempts. He made at least two 3-pointers in 35 of his 46 games, including three in his only game against the Pelicans.
I’ll pay the juice here and take him to make multiple 3s, and wouldn’t hate taking over 2.5 3 pointers made at +164 as well.
These were two of the most profitable teams when betting the over last season. The Spurs went 46-25-1 (+7.50 units) to the over, with the Pelicans right behind them at 45-35-2 (+6.50 units), according to EV Analytics.
The Spurs didn’t get to the over in their opener, but that was simply due to the Mavericks only putting up 92 points to San Antonio’s 125. The Pelicans, meanwhile, easily went over their total of 236 with a 128-122 loss in Memphis.
This is a high total here at 232.5, but it’s not high enough for a Spurs team that will have no problem getting to the 120s themselves. It’s just up to the Pelicans to handle the rest, and they should in a high-paced game.
Pick: Over 232.5 (-108)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Unlock $300 in bonus bets — all without a promo code for DraftKings. Sign up and place a $5 bet. If you win, you will receive $300 in bonus bets instantly +3 months of NBA League Pass.
