The New Orleans Pelicans and the Phoenix Suns are both fighting for a spot in the top six of the Western Conference standings, which makes this Tuesday’s meeting a crucial one for both parties. Will the Pelicans stun Phoenix at home? Or, will the Suns defeat New Orleans again?

Catch this game live on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 8:00 AM, Manila time

Away: Phoenix Suns (43-31, 20-17 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

• Devin Booker
• Bradley Beal
• Grayson Allen
• Kevin Durant
• Jusuf Nurkic

It has been an up-and-down ride for the Suns lately. They have alternated wins and losses in their last four outings in which Phoenix went 2-2 straight up and also 2-2 against the spread. The last time the Suns saw action, they suffered a 128-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road over the weekend. Phoenix, however, has a solid record in potential rebound games, as the Suns are 18-12-0 overall in the 2023-24 NBA regular season in games following a loss. 

After such an embarrassing performance in the loss to the Thunder, Phoenix can be expected to play with a burning desire to play to their true potential. With Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker all healthy and ready to go, the Suns will look to go 2-0 SU this season against the Pelicans. In the first meeting back in January, Booker exploded for 52 points, while Durant and Beal gathered 26 and 13 points, respectively, in a 123-109 win. 

Booker can light it up again, as he seems to be in the zone, having averaged 25.8 points on 62.3 true shooting percentage in the last five outings. The same can be said about Durant, who has averaged 25.8 points on 70.4 TS% in the same span.

Home: New Orleans Pelicans (45-29, 21-15 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

• CJ McCollum
• Trey Murphy III
• Herbert Jones
• Zion Williamson
• Jonas Valanciunas

It has been a similar ride with the Suns for the Pelicans of late. New Orleans, coming off a 104-92 home loss last Sunday to the Boston Celtics, are 2-2 SU and only 1-3 ATS over their four recent outings. Brandon Ingram will not be out there on the court this Tuesday to help the Pelicans try to recover from the loss to Boston, as he continues to heal up from a bone bruise in his left knee. 

He will be missed by New Orleans in this rematch against the Suns, but the Pels still have Zion Williamson ready to see action. Williamson had 24 points on 11/17 shooting in the first meeting this season with Phoenix and 25 in the Boston game. 

With or without Ingram, the Pelicans will look to rely on their fairly decent defense to slow down the Suns. New Orleans is fourth in the league so far this season with a 111.6 adjusted defensive rating and eighth with 110.3 points allowed per game. The Pels seem to have gotten better even in that area in the last five games, having surrendered just 102.4 points on 44.8 defensive FG%.

Picks

Spread: New Orleans Pelicans (+1.5)

Over/Under: Under (224.5)