Suns vs Pelicans NBA Prediction, Odds & Best Bets (4/1): Booker Feasts from Deep

Today’s Suns vs Pelicans prediction and NBA best bets are brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sports betting, offering various options from the NBA to the UFC odds and everything in between.

It’s April Fool’s Day and the NBA has a six-game slate that isn’t a joke to begin to month. One matchup is a national broadcast as the Phoenix Suns (43-31) are set to clash with the New Orleans Pelicans (45-29) at 8 p.m. ET on NBA TV.

Dyson Daniels without injury designation for Phoenix Suns game#Pelicans | @MorrisBartLLC https://t.co/QTtKgKCWET

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 1, 2024

Tonight marks the end of the Suns’ five-game road trip following Friday’s 128-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Meanwhile, the Pelicans are also on bounce-back watch after their offense was silenced in a 104-92 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday.

According to oddsmakers, Phoenix has a much better shot at winning a championship this season. BetOnline currently has Frank Vogel’s team tied for the sixth-best 2023-24 NBA Finals odds while is a +7500 long shot (15th).

We still have a way to go until the playoffs, so let’s focus on the present and tonight’s meeting. Keep scrolling for my Suns vs. Pelicans NBA prediction and best bets to help you get in on the upcoming action.

Suns vs Pelicans NBA Betting Tonight (4/1)

Suns vs Pelicans Matchup Information

• Matchup: Phoenix Suns (43-31, 20-17 Away) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (45-29, 21-15 Home)
• Venue & Location: Smoothie King Center (New Orleans, LA)
• Date: Monday, April 1, 2024
• Game Time: 8 p.m. ET
• How to Watch Suns vs. Pelicans: NBA TV, Bally Sports New Orleans, Arizona’s Family Sports

Pelicans vs Suns NBA Betting Odds & Spread

Pelicans vs. Suns odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Monday, April 1 at 9:18 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Suns vs Pelicans Spread

• Phoenix Suns -1.5 (-105)
• New Orleans Pelicans +1.5 (-115)

Pelicans vs Suns Over/Under

• Over 224.5 Points (-110)
• Under 224.5 Points (-110)

Suns vs Pelicans Moneyline

• Phoenix Suns (-116)
• New Orleans Pelicans (-104)

You might also like: Jontay Porter NBA Gambling Investigation: What Do We Know?

---

NBA Best Bets and Picks Tonight

Looking to get in on even more NBA picks today? Check out our NBA Picks page for consensus picks for every 2023-24 season game.

You can also check out:

• NBA betting odds
• NBA news, futures betting, and best bets predictions
• How to bet on the NBA
• 2023-24 NBA Finals Prediction & Dark Horse Pick
• 2024 NBA MVP Odds & Picks

---

Suns vs Pelicans NBA Betting Trends

• Phoenix is 5-2 straight up in its last seven games vs. New Orleans.
• New Orleans is 8-3 straight up in its last 11 home games played on Monday.
• Phoenix is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 road games.
• New Orleans is 2-5 ATS in its last seven games vs. Phoenix.
• The total hit the Under in 14 of Phoenix’s last 20 games.
• The total hit the Under in seven of New Orleans’ last nine home games.

Suns vs Pelicans Prediction & NBA Picks Today (4/1): Phoenix’s Road Trip Continues

The Pelicans have the home-court advantage tonight, but things didn’t go well when they hosted the Suns earlier this season.

Phoenix paid a trip to Smoothie King Center back on Jan. 19, resulting in a lopsided 123-109 victory. The Suns took the lead over the Pelicans in the first quarter and never looked back as Devin Booker scored a game-high 52 points on 60.0% shooting which included going 6-for-11 from deep. Meanwhile, New Orleans couldn’t get anything going, scoring 109 points on awful .441/.238/.739 splits.

Chances are that the Pelicans will struggle to score from the perimeter again. Although it’s a small sample size, the Suns have excelled at guarding the outside lately, holding their last six opponents to an average of 11.3 threes made (T-5th) with a 33.0% success rate (5th). They also allowed the 10th-fewest points during that stretch.

For reference, the Pelicans are averaging the eighth-fewest three-pointers on the ninth-worst percentage over their last eight games. In other words, if the Suns get off to another big league, it’s going to be tough for the host team to battle back if their three-point shots don’t fall.

Not only do the Suns know how to score from deep but they also excel at defending the three-point shot. 

Another thing going against the Pelicans is that they haven’t had much recent success against the Suns. Since December 2019, Phoenix boasts a 13-6 SU record across its last 19 meetings with New Orleans. Additionally, the Suns have won five of the last seven matchups between these teams, outscoring the Pelicans by 5.4 PPG.

It doesn’t help that New Orleans hasn’t played exceptionally well at home lately. Not only are they an uninspiring 4-5 SU in their last nine home games, but the Pelicans have also been held to a 107.3 PPG clip with .452/.333/.786 splits over their last six outings at Smoothie King Center.

The Suns have been average on their road trip and are coming off a defeat, but that isn’t a big deal. After all, they’re 5-0 SU following their last five losses and haven’t lost consecutive outings since the beginning of March.

Phoenix is also nearly at 100% health with Damion Lee (knee) being their only absentee this evening. As for the Pelicans, they’ll be without both Brandon Ingram (knee) and Jose Alvarado (oblique).

Will Brandon Ingram’s continued absence impact the Pelicans’ shot at winning tonight? They’re 17-20 SU in the last 37 games that the veteran forward has missed. 

While it appears that this game could go either way, I’m taking the Suns to win on the road. Phoenix already won by 14 points at Smoothie King Center just a few months ago, cementing the fact that it owns New Orleans’ number. If the Pelicans can’t get anything going on the perimeter, it might not take the Suns long to put this contest out of reach.

But regardless of which team wins, I’d be surprised if this game doesn’t feature over 224.5 total points. After all, the last five Suns-Pelicans matchups averaged 239.4 points with each bout finishing with more than 224.5. Additionally, the Over is 11-1 across the last 12 showdowns between these teams at Smoothie King Center.

With the Over also hitting in 54.2% of games where the Suns are road favorites, it’s easy to imagine a high-scoring affair tonight.

Suns vs Pelicans NBA Prediction: PHX wins

Best Suns vs Pelicans NBA Bet: o224.5 Total Points (-110)

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your Suns vs Pelicans NBA picks today at BetOnline

Best Suns vs Pelicans NBA Prop Bet (4/1)

I’m feeling a bit risky with today’s Suns vs. Pelicans player prop pick, so let’s take Devin Booker to record 3+ three-pointers as the best option.

Although he isn’t exactly having a career year from downtown, Booker’s three-point play has been solid lately. He’s averaging 2.8 threes made on 42.4% shooting across his last five games, finishing with at least three on a trio of occasions. The Over is also a solid 5-3 across the ex-Kentucky sharpshooter’s last eight meetings with the Pelicans, which includes when he dropped six three-pointers against them in January.

With the Pelicans allowing the sixth-most threes made to point guards this season, I see Booker making good on this prop again in the Big Easy.

Best Suns vs Pelicans Prop Bet: Devin Booker to Record 3+ Threes Made (+106)

Get 50% up to $1,000 on your Suns vs Pelicans NBA picks today at BetOnline

---

Still Here? Check Out the Betting News Store

If you’re planning on betting like a winner, you may as well look like one, too. In that case, check out the official Betting News store!

Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a loved one, the official store has a plethora of items available from hoodies and t-shirts to mugs for your Afternoon Betspresso.

Your Morning Joe would look really nice in our new BA$KET CA$E mug 😈☕️

Cop yourself one ⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/rtDEAWWwVo

— Betting News (@YourBettingNews) February 2, 2024