Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans 5/16/21 - NBA Picks & Predictions

Last Updated: 05/16/2021 at 8:36 AM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers will complete a back-to-back on Sunday when visiting the New Orleans Pelicans after playing on the road Saturday against the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers are seventh in the Western Conference standings but with two victories over their final two games of the regular season could conceivably finish in the top six and avoid the play-in tournament. Los Angeles has won three straight but LeBron James remains sidelined and is questionable for Sunday's regular-season finale.

LeBron James is the leading scorer for Los Angeles with an average of 25.0 points per game while Anthony Davis is the second leading scorer with an average of 29.9 points per game. James is the leader in assists with an average of 7.8 assists per game and Davis is the leading rebounder with an average of 8.0 rebounds per game. Los Angeles is scoring an average of 109.4 points per game and allowing an average of 106.7 points per game.

New Orleans looks to snap a three-game losing streak when completing its regular season at home on Sunday against Los Angeles. The Pelicans are 31-40 and fourth in the Southwest Division. New Orleans was defeated by the Golden State Warriors 125-122 on Friday. The leading scorer for New Orleans in the loss was Nickeil Alexander-Walker with 30 points. New Orleans continues to play with several of its top players sidelined with injuries.

With Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram sidelined the leading scorer for New Orleans is Lonzo Ball with an average of 14.6 points per game and Ball is also the leader in assists with an average of 5.7 per game. Steven Adams is the leading rebounder but is also out injured and therefore the leading active rebounder is Josh Hart with an average of 8.0 per game. New Orleans is scoring an average of 114.7 points per game and allowing an average of 115.1 points per game.

Los Angeles will pick up a victory in its season finale against New Orleans, but the play here is UNDER. The UNDER has cashed in five of the Pelicans last six. New Orleans is playing without its top two scorers Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram as well as its leading rebounder Steven Adams. The Pelicans will play a strong defense against the favored Lakers but will not score enough to win, and the UNDER will cash. Final  Score Prediction, Los Angeles Lakers win but our best play is UNDER 105-95.

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