Lakers vs. Pelicans NBA expert prediction and odds for Western Conference Play-In Tournament

The first play-in tournament game of the NBA postseason takes place on Tuesday night with the No. 8-seeded Los Angeles Lakers taking on the No. 7-seeded New Orleans Pelicans with the No. 7 seed in the West on the line.

Los Angeles spoiled the Pels’ chances of earning a top-six seed by blowing them out on Sunday as 3.5-point underdogs, and now the Lakers are set in a pick’em scenario in the latest betting odds to win Tuesday’s game.

While the winner will advance to the playoffs to face the Denver Nuggets (the No. 2 seed) in the first round, the loser will get another chance to earn a playoff spot by beating the winner of the No.9 vs. No. 10 seed matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings.

This is the second straight season that both of these squads are in the play-in, and the Lakers have advanced through the play-in two times under LeBron James. 

Can they complete the feat again on Tuesday?  

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Here’s a look at the latest odds and my best bet for this matchup: 

Lakers vs. Pelicans odds, spread and total

Lakers vs. Pelicans how to watch

• Date: Tuesday, April 16
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Smoothie King Center
• How to watch (TV): TNT
• Lakers record: 47-35
• Pelicans record: 49-33

Lakers vs. Pelicans injury reports

Lakers injury report

• Anthony Davis – questionable 
• Jalen Hood-Schifino – out
• LeBron James – probable
• Jarred Vanderbilt – out
• Christian Wood – out

Injury to watch for: Anthony Davis went down at the end of Sunday’s win over New Orleans, and it’s possible he’s on the injury report in this game. If AD can’t go (he’s only missed six games this season), the Lakers could be in trouble, as they’re just 2-4 without him. 

Pelicans injury report

• Cody Zeller – available

Injury to watch for: Brandon Ingram returned to action in the final game of the regular season, playing about half of the game in the New Orleans’ loss to LA. Can he handle a bigger workload on Tuesday? 

Lakers vs. Pelicans key players to watch

Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James: LeBron James has been in the play-in tournament in two of the previous three seasons, and last season he went off against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 30 points on 9-of-15 shooting. He also added 10 rebounds and six assists. James had an insane season in the 2023-24 campaign, averaging 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 54.0 percent from the field and 41.0 percent from 3. 

New Orleans Pelicans

Brandon Ingram: Even though he played less than 24 minutes (23:23) on Sunday, Ingram showed no ill effects, shooting 6-for-9 from the field, finishing with 13 points and five rebounds. Can he handle a bigger role with the No. 7 seed on the line for New Orleans? 

Lakers vs. Pelicans prediction and pick

There is a lot of chatter that suggests both teams should lose this game to avoid the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs, but any team in the West is likely going to have to go through Denver at some point. 

I can’t see the Lakers coasting in this game, especially since the team that would be awaiting them is the Golden State Warriors or Sacramento Kings, who they went 1-7 against this season. 

Los Angeles is 2-0 in the play-in tournament with James on the roster, earning the No. 7 seed each time. It also has blowout wins in big spots against the Pelicans, dominating them in the In-Season Tournament and in a huge game on Sunday. 

Even though the Lakers are just 19-21 on the road, I trust James and Davis (if he suits up) to win this game. Ingram may not be at full capacity for New Orleans, and it’s hard to bet against LeBron in any must-win scenario. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.