PREMIUM
**$20 TUESDAY!** Rogers' TOTAL DOMINATION
(NBA) New Orleans vs. Indiana,
Total: 217.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 217.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: The Indiana Pacers opened a three-game road trip with a 124-107 win at Cleveland on Nov. 1 but limp back home after dropping the final two stops of the trip at Philadelphia and New York. The 5-5 New Orleans Pelicans visit the Pacers on Tuesday, coming off back-to-back road wins. However, full disclosure means it must be noted that the road victories did come over 1-10 Dallas and 2-6 Chicago.
New Orleans: The Pelicans have not reached 100 points in any of their last four games. Antonio Davis (27.4 & 12.7) and DeMarcus Cousins (28.6 & 13.7) combined for 52 points and 27 rebounds in Saturday's 96-90 overtime win at Chicago but both played more than 40 minutes and the playing time is becoming a concern. "We're asking a lot of those guys, especially (Davis) and DeMarcus playing those kind of minutes," New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "... It's kind of a catch-22. Do you take them out? Or, do you try to win games and then try to find rest for them? We chose to leave them in and try to win the game." Davis logged over 40 minutes in each of the last four games and six of 10 while Cousins hit the mark three times already. Guards Holiday (13.50 and Moore (10.2) are the Pelicans' only other double digit scorers. New Orleans is scoring 105.2 PPG (15th) and allowing 105.6 PPG (15th), which makes it no surprise that the team is off to a 5-5 start!
Indiana: The Pacers (5-5, just like the Pelicans) come in averaging 110.3 PPG (4th) on 48.0 percent shooting (3rd) but are questioning their defense after squandering a 19-point lead in a 108-101 loss at the New York Knicks on Sunday, during which they were outscored 36-17 in the fourth quarter. "You need to have these wins," power forward Thaddeus Young told the team's website. "You can say it's a long season, but these are the ones that come back and hurt." On the season, the defense is allowing 109.1 PPG (24th) on 47.7 percent shooting (29th). Oladipo leads in scoring at 23.8 PPG but the real good news is that starting center Myles Turner, who recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener, finally returned these last two games, after sitting out seven games with a head injury. He had a total of 26 points and 13 rebounds in the two road losses. Domantas Sabonis posted double-digit rebounds in six straight games while starting in place of Turner and is one of six Indiana player averaging in double figures in scoring.
The pick: The Pacers actually played well without Turner and it has to be disappointing that they lost in each of his two games back. However, there is no doubt Indiana is a better team with Turner. The Pacers are scoring well but defending poorly and I believe Davis and Cousins (or Cousins and Davis, if you prefer), will have their way scoring inside after the Pacers were out-rebounded by the Knicks 52-41. Make the Over an 8* play.
New Orleans: The Pelicans have not reached 100 points in any of their last four games. Antonio Davis (27.4 & 12.7) and DeMarcus Cousins (28.6 & 13.7) combined for 52 points and 27 rebounds in Saturday's 96-90 overtime win at Chicago but both played more than 40 minutes and the playing time is becoming a concern. "We're asking a lot of those guys, especially (Davis) and DeMarcus playing those kind of minutes," New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "... It's kind of a catch-22. Do you take them out? Or, do you try to win games and then try to find rest for them? We chose to leave them in and try to win the game." Davis logged over 40 minutes in each of the last four games and six of 10 while Cousins hit the mark three times already. Guards Holiday (13.50 and Moore (10.2) are the Pelicans' only other double digit scorers. New Orleans is scoring 105.2 PPG (15th) and allowing 105.6 PPG (15th), which makes it no surprise that the team is off to a 5-5 start!
Indiana: The Pacers (5-5, just like the Pelicans) come in averaging 110.3 PPG (4th) on 48.0 percent shooting (3rd) but are questioning their defense after squandering a 19-point lead in a 108-101 loss at the New York Knicks on Sunday, during which they were outscored 36-17 in the fourth quarter. "You need to have these wins," power forward Thaddeus Young told the team's website. "You can say it's a long season, but these are the ones that come back and hurt." On the season, the defense is allowing 109.1 PPG (24th) on 47.7 percent shooting (29th). Oladipo leads in scoring at 23.8 PPG but the real good news is that starting center Myles Turner, who recorded 21 points and 14 rebounds in the season opener, finally returned these last two games, after sitting out seven games with a head injury. He had a total of 26 points and 13 rebounds in the two road losses. Domantas Sabonis posted double-digit rebounds in six straight games while starting in place of Turner and is one of six Indiana player averaging in double figures in scoring.
The pick: The Pacers actually played well without Turner and it has to be disappointing that they lost in each of his two games back. However, there is no doubt Indiana is a better team with Turner. The Pacers are scoring well but defending poorly and I believe Davis and Cousins (or Cousins and Davis, if you prefer), will have their way scoring inside after the Pacers were out-rebounded by the Knicks 52-41. Make the Over an 8* play.
