After four-plus months, the 2019-20 NBA season is back. The league's slate of "seeding" games got underway on Thursday night. The action continues Saturday with a five-game slate, including a bout between two teams vying for postseason position in the Western Conference -- the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. The Clippers enter the contest in the second spot in the West, while the Pelicans sit 11th.
The game will be the second of eight seeding games for both teams, as both also played Thursday. The Pelicans dropped a tough one to the Utah Jazz 106-104, while the Clippers fell to the Lakers 103-101. Both teams will be looking to bounce back on Saturday. The Clippers won two out of three meetings during the regular season between the two teams.
Ahead of the contest, here's everything you need to know about Clippers vs. Pelicans.
How to Watch
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 1 -- 6 p.m. ET
- Location: Disney Wide World of Sports -- Orlando, Florida
- TV: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
- Odds: Clippers -5 | O/U: 232.5
So who wins Clippers vs. Pelicans? And which side of the spread hits in nearly 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Pelicans vs. Clippers spread you need to jump on Saturday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
Storylines
Clippers: Outside of remaining healthy, the main motivation for the Clippers throughout the remainder of the seeding games is holding on to the second seed in the West. The Clippers will still be short-handed against the Pelicans, as they're missing two key contributors in Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, but both are expected to be back in the rotation in the near future.
Pelicans: Every single seeding game is important for the Pelicans, who are on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff picture. If the Pelicans want a shot at a playoff berth they will have to win most -- if not all -- of their remaining games, including against the Clippers on Saturday. Unfortunately for them, though, it sounds like rookie sensation Zion Williamson still won't be playing major minutes for a few more games. With Williamson's minutes limited, other Pelicans players like Brandon Ingram, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball will have to step it up.
Prediction
Desperation might win out in this one. The Clippers are the more talented team on paper, but the Pelicans have more to play for -- their playoff future hangs in the balance of the seeding games while Los Angeles' spot in the postseason is secure. Plus, the Clippers are without a couple of key pieces in Williams and Harrell, while the Pelicans are near full strength, outside of a minute restriction for Williamson. Pick: Pelicans +5
