Sacramento Kings @ New Orleans Pelicans - February 13, 2025

As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to face off against the Sacramento Kings at Smoothie King Center, there’s a palpable sense of urgency for the Pelicans. They are currently mired in a ten-game losing streak and will be looking to turn their fortunes around against a Kings team that has been on an upward trajectory lately, winning three straight games.

From a statistical perspective, this matchup heavily favors the Kings. On average, Sacramento scores approximately 116.4 points per game with an impressive shooting percentage of 47.6%. In contrast, New Orleans struggles offensively, averaging just 110.0 points per game and hitting only 44.7% of their shots from the field. This discrepancy in offensive efficiency is likely to play a significant role in determining the outcome of this contest.

Defensively, both teams have their challenges. The Pelicans allow opponents to grab about 42.8 rebounds per game while also committing around 18 fouls on average—these numbers suggest they struggle to control the glass and can be prone to sending opponents to the free-throw line frequently. The Kings aren’t much better defensively; they surrender roughly 44.7 total rebounds per game and commit about 19 fouls themselves.

However, when it comes down to assists—an important metric for measuring ball movement and teamwork—the Kings edge out the Pelicans with an average of 26.6 assists compared to New Orleans’ 25.1 assists per game. This slight advantage indicates that Sacramento’s offense is more cohesive and capable of generating quality scoring opportunities.

In terms of recent performance against each other, we saw these two teams clash not too long ago where Sacramento emerged victorious with a scoreline of 119-111 at home—a result that not only saw them cover as -6-point favorites but also pushed totals bettors towards an UNDER bet since they combined for just 230 points in that encounter.

Looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup, oddsmakers have opened with Sacramento as -5-point favorites once again—a line I expect them to cover given their current form and historical performance against New Orleans this season.

Moreover, considering both teams’ propensity for high-scoring games recently (with five overs hit in seven games for both), I anticipate tonight’s total will go OVER the opening number of 240 points as well.

In summary, I predict that:
1) The Kings will defeat the Pelicans.
2) The Kings will cover the spread.
3) The total score will go OVER.

With all these factors considered—offensive prowess paired with recent trends—it seems like it’s going to be another challenging night for New Orleans as they look desperately for answers amidst ongoing struggles on both ends of the court.