The New Orleans Pelicans got to a commanding 2-0 lead after a 111-102 win in the second game of the first round series with the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday, April 17. The Pelicans beat the spread at +6.5, while the game barely went under the total of 214.5 points. Alvin Gentry’s side now has a surprising chance to sweep the Blazers as the series moves to the Big Easy.
Game Recap
The first half was pretty balanced as no team had a double-digit lead, but the Pelicans dominated in the third quarter and won in 33-19, which proved to be a significant lead, even though Portland managed to make a comeback in the final period and take a 100-99 lead. However, the hosts added just two points since, while New Orleans scored 13 and deservedly secured another victory.
New Orleans was excellent from the field (51.7%), while they hit 12 out of 24 attempts from beyond the arc (50%), and the shooting percentage played the vital role in the win, while the Pelicans also had five more assists than the Blazers.
Jrue Holiday led New Orleans with 33 points, game-high nine dimes, and three rebounds; Anthony Davis posted a double-double of 22 points and 13 boards along with a couple of steals and two blocks, Rajon Rondo just missed on a triple-double as he added 16 points, ten rebounds, and nine dishes, while Nikola Mirotic ended the tilt with 17 points and eight boards. On the other hand, C.J. McCollum led Portland with 22 points, six assists, and three rebounds; Damian Lillard followed him with 17 points, four dimes, three boards, and even seven turnovers, while Al-Farouq Aminu recorded a double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds.
New Orleans’ odds to win the NBA Championship can be found at BetDSI and they are pegging the Pelicans at +6000, which means that Alvin Gentry’s men are not among the most serious contenders to lift the NBA title this year. They are +2500 to win the Western Conference, while Portland is +10000 to win the NBA title, while the Blazers are +5000 to clinch the Western Conference.
