Thunder vs Pelicans Game 3 Prediction & Best Bets: Will OKC Put New Orleans on the Brink?

If there were any concerns that the youthful Oklahoma City Thunder would struggle in their first taste of playoff action, they went a long way towards answering them in the first two games against the New Orleans Pelicans.

After surviving a fourth-quarter rally in a two-point win in Game 1, the Western Conference’s top seed didn’t let the Pelicans get a sniff in Game 2, jumping out to a 13-point lead after one quarter on the way to a 32-point win.

The series has shifted to New Orleans for the next two games, and after taking care of business at home, the Thunder enter today’s Game 3 (3:30 pm ET, TNT) with a chance to take an almost unassailable lead.

Will the Pelicans trim the deficit at the Smoothie King Center?

• Read on for the best moneyline bet for Thunder vs Pelicans Game 3.
• Find out which betting trends and stats point to a third straight win for Oklahoma City.
• Learn about where to place your Thunder vs Magic bets, as well as where to wager on today’s other NBA playoff matchups (Celtics-Heat and Lakers-Nuggets)

Through Friday’s games, home teams were 4-2 in Game 3s. That would seem to bode well for the Pelicans, but the Thunder are favored by a slight margin entering the franchise’s first road playoff game since April 14, 2019.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans Odds

Odds are courtesy of BetOnline, a longtime fixture among the top online sports betting sites. Check out our BetOnline sportsbook review, then bag a big bonus (100% if your first deposit is with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or another cryptocurrency) to bet on today’s NBA playoff action.

Spread

• Oklahoma City Thunder -1.5 (-115)
• New Orleans Pelicans +1.5 (-105)

Over/Under

• Over 209.5 (-110)
• Under 209.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Oklahoma City Thunder -128
• New Orleans Pelicans +108

Get free and reliable moneyline, spread, and over/under consensus picks for every NBA matchup, including this one, from our NBA picks page.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Analysis

As mentioned in today’s Cavaliers-Magic betting breakdown, home teams have excelled thus far in the NBA playoffs, going 17-5 SU through Friday.

For most teams—perhaps other than the Los Angeles Lakers, who can’t seem to beat the Denver Nuggets no matter what kind of lead they may take—those numbers could be used to back up arguments to bet on them.

But over the last three 82-game regular seasons, only one playoff team has had fewer home wins than the Pelicans’ 21. That would be the 2021-22 Brooklyn Nets, who went 20-21 at home. As the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Nets were swept by the Boston Celtics.

The Pelicans aren’t a big underdog in this spot, but their numbers in this scenario aren’t encouraging either. In 11 games as a home underdog, New Orleans is 5-6 SU and 6-5 ATS. If you are looking to bet on a home underdog, those are not the kind of numbers that inspire confidence.

The numbers as a road favorite for the Thunder aren’t among the league’s best, but they have at least won almost two-thirds of their games in this spot, going 17-9 SU.

It’s entirely possible that the Pelicans find a way to make this a series, but it feels like they missed their best opportunity to do so when they couldn’t close the deal after rallying to take a late lead in Game 1.

Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction & Best Bets

Thunder vs Pelicans Prediction: Thunder to win

Thunder vs Pelicans Best Bets: Thunder ML

Other NBA Playoffs Betting Information

Where to Bet on Thunder vs Pelicans and the NBA Playoffs

Many of the top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of NBA betting odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on odds for every game all season long, including NBA playoffs odds.

Also, you can bet on the All-Star Game, NBA Draft odds, and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.

There are plenty of sports betting sites you can choose from that are good for NBA betting. In addition to BetOnline, here are several books that we have reviewed and highly recommend:

• BetDSI (review)
• BetUS (review)
• Bookmaker (review)
• Bovada (review)
• MyBookie (review)
• Sportsbetting.ag (review)

If you don’t have an account at a book on this list, check out our reviews to help you determine if it is worth your interest and your betting funds.

Looking to make some player prop picks for Game 3 between Oklahoma City and New Orleans? Bovada is one of the best sports betting sites for NBA player props, as they offer a plethora of prop markets for every game on the schedule. They also have a hefty welcome bonus for cryptocurrency users (75% up to $750).

Interested in Learning More About NBA Betting?

Looking to learn more about the ins and outs of betting on the NBA? Check out our NBA betting guide. Also, if you’d like to learn more about NBA player prop bets, check out our NBA player props guide.

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