Chicago and Toronto have everything to play for on Wednesday night. This is a must-win game to keep their postseason hopes alive as ninth and tenth-seed teams. The Bulls look good after scoring two consecutive wins and four in their last six contests. It’s a similar record for the hosts with three wins in their last five games.

Winners of this game take on the Miami Heat, while the loser gets an early vacation and misses out on the playoffs. It’s going to be a wild night at the Scotiabank Arena with both sides keen to secure the eighth seed.

Nitrobetting shares the latest news, NBA odds, and special features throughout the 2022-23 NBA season. Let’s get a closer look at the upcoming Bulls vs. Raptors face-off in this preview.

Thunder vs. Pelicans 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament Game Information

Let's do this

: 8:30pm CT
: ESPN
: @995WRNO#OneNOLA | @SmoothieKing pic.twitter.com/SkcWtr2DPS

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) April 12, 2023

• When: Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 9:30 PM ET
• Where: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: WWLS-The Sports Animal 98.1 FM (Thunder) // WRNO 99.5 FM (Pelicans)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Thunder (+5.5) // Pelicans (-5.5)

READ MORE: Bulls vs. Raptors 2023 NBA Play-in Tournament Odds and Preview – April 12th

Why Bet on the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Oklahoma City prepares for its first Play-In Tournament in franchise history. They take on the postseason challenge with a significantly healthy core lineup. Leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging over 30 points per game and tops the team in steals with 1.65 per game. Three other players join him in the double-digit scoring range, including Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams, and Lugunetz Dort: all three average between 13 and 16 points per game.

As a team, the Thunder record the fifth-best points per game statistic in the league. Oklahoma averages 117.5 points per game on 46.5% shooting. They hit 53.0% of two-point attempts, 35.6% from deep, and capitalize opportunities from the line with a sixth-best free-throw shooting percentage of 80.9%. The Mark Daigneault-led team terrorizes interior defenses and averages 55.1 points in the paint per game–the third-best record at the moment.

Looking at the Thunder’s defense, they limit competitors to 116.4 points per game on 47.4% opponent shooting. They are not known for lockdown defense, but do enough to keep teams hitting 55.3% of their shots from inside the arc and 35.8% from downtown. Furthermore, the visitors come into the game averaging 51.5 total boards per game.

Why Bet on the New Orleans Saints?

The Pelicans are locked and loaded for Wednesday night’s game. The three big starters, C.J. McCollum, Brandon Ingram, and Jonas Valanciunas, take on Oklahoma’s young core squad. Larry Nance Jr. is the only player that awaits a game-time decision since enduring an ankle injury.

Except for the injured Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram has been putting up the numbers for the Pel’s offensive needs. The former Los Angeles Lakers forward averages 24.71 points per game and leads the team in assists with 5.82 per game. McCollum is not far behind with 20.91 points per game, 4.37 rebounds, and 5.72 assists per game. Meanwhile, Valanciunas keeps things tight inside the paint and collects 10.18 rebounds per game.

Head coach Willie Green is a man that emphasizes his team’s defense more than anything else. So far, the Pelicans limit opponents to 112.5 points per game on 47.2% shooting. They are the best three-point defenders in the league and hold competitors to 33.9% from deep. As for their offense, New Orleans average 114.4 points per game on an eleventh-best 48.0% shooting. They shoot 54.1% from the two-point range and maintain a respectable 36.4% three-point shooting percentage. More than that, the Pelicans are consistent from the line and hit 79.3% of their foul shots.

Thunder vs. Pelicans Betting Trends

• The Thunder are 2-2 in their last four road games (1-3 ATS).
• The Thunder are 2-3 in their last five meetings versus the Pelicans (3-2 ATS).
• The totals have gone under in four of the Thunder’s last five road contests.
• The Pelicans are 4-1 in their last five games at Smoothie King Center (3-2 ATS).
• The Pelicans are 1-3 in their last four home games versus the Thunder (0-4 ATS).
• The totals have gone over in two of the Pelicans’ last five home games.

Thunder vs. Pelicans Expert Betting Prediction

Oklahoma City will operate without Aleksej Pokusevski. The other end of the floor misses Jose Alvarado and is keeping an eye on Larry Nance Jr.’s ankle injury. Mark Daigneault and his squad cooled off towards the end of the regular season and lost the season series to the Pelicans, three games to one.

On paper, New Orleans has the advantage. Add to that the overwhelming support of the Smoothie King Center fans, the trend points us to a Pels win here. However, the Thunder can threaten to cover the spread. They can be an unpredictable team, so keep an eye out for this team.

Where to Bet on the 2022-23 NBA season with Bitcoin

Nitrobetting offers a solid channel for those who want to bet on the 2023 NBA Season with bitcoin. The power of crypto and its lightning-fast transactions make the entire NBA Season betting more enjoyable.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NBA season previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.