A few hours ago, while breaking down Friday night’s matchup my thinking was: “Huh, the Pelicans are an intriguing bet to cover against the Clippers.” That line of thinking just took a dramatic turn towards “the Pelicans are going to win this game” with the recent news.
Clippers star forward Paul George is going to miss the play-in game after being placed in the league health and safety protocols.
The Clippers are still the favorites in this game, providing plenty of value for bettors. The line had the Clippers at -4 before the news, and it now sits at -1. as of the time of this writing. If you can get in on the value and take plus money on a healthy Pelicans team to advance past the Clippers, do it.
Over the last two weeks, George has been a massive difference-maker for the Clippers. He has averaged 24.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game over his last six appearances. Already missing Kawhi Leonard because of a knee injury, this is a catastrophic blow.
Paul George is out against the Pelicans USA TODAY Sports
When the Clippers paired Paul George with Kawhi Leonard, they were expecting elite production that could lead them on a championship run. With Leonard out while recovering from ACL surgery last summer and George now out for the play-in game, the Clippers will have to battle to keep those dreams alive.
The Pelicans, on the other hand, have been playing a different breed of basketball since acquiring CJ McCollum in a trade with the now-rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers.
Since joining New Orleans, McCollum has balled out. With the Pelicans, McCollum is averaging 24.3 points per game on 39.4% shooting from three. A career 19.2 point per game player having previously played alongside Damian Lillard, McCollum has taken a leap forward into a dynamic guard in his own spotlight.
CJ McCollum walks off after the Pelicans defeated the Spurs in the first play-in game. NBAE via Getty ImagesMcCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valenciunas have all that they need to defeat a hobbled Clippers roster.
