We’re riding this Pelicans team’s wings right now. They are consistently underestimated by Vegas, yet they continue to over-perform expectations. This season, the Pelicans are covering spreads at nearly a 65% rate. This includes several notable outright underdog victories. The Clippers are still looking a touch out of sync. They have been unable to find a way to integrate James Harden into the mix of their other superstars. LA has made a habit of keeping games too close, and then failing to separate themselves in the 4th quarter. The Clippers are often overvalued by the bookmakers, covering spreads at a measly 38% this season. The In-Season Tournament might play a role in these two teams’ motivation level for this game. The Pelicans are currently first in their group with a 2-1 record and a +23 points differential, while the Clippers are dead last at 1-2 and a -15 points. That difference is certainly not insurmountable, but this Clippers team is quite possibly the least motivated team in the league when it comes to this tournament. The Clippers high paid superstars might rather pay every single teammate the 500k out of pocket than play hard in November. The Pelicans, on the other hand, have looked hungry so far this season. With a lot of unproven players who are much hungrier for the 500K bonus on their roster, the Pelicans might be just the right team to scrap their way through this tournament. Our stake is a half unit on the Pelicans at +5.5.