Those hoping for a Game 7 in the first round of the postseason might just get it via the Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans series. Top-seeded Phoenix has a 3-2 lead, but No. 8 seed New Orleans has proved a handful throughout. And the Pelicans are only 2-point Game 6 underdogs on the NBA playoff odds board.
Will the Suns — defending Western Conference champs — put this series to bed Thursday night, or will the Pelicans force Game 7?
Props.com grabs insights from multiple oddsmakers on NBA playoff odds for Suns vs. Pelicans Game 6. Check back for updates through Thursday’s tipoff.
NBA Playoffs Odds And Action
No. 1 Phoenix Suns vs No. 8 New Orleans Pelicans (7:30 p.m. ET)
UPDATE 5:30 P.M. ET THURSDAY: All-Star guard Devin Booker appears set to return for the Suns tonight, so the point spread and total are on the move. Two hours before tipoff, Phoenix is a 2.5-point favorite on PointsBet USA’s Thursday NBA playoff odds board. The Suns opened at-2.5 late Tuesday night and initially moved to -3, then dropped to -2 late Wednesday morning before briefly stretching to -3.5 late Wednesday night.
This morning, the number rolled down to -2 again. However, in the past 30 minutes, news broke that Booker is expected to return from a hamstring injury suffered in Game 2. That prompted PointsBet to up the Suns to -3.5 (-105). Phoenix is taking 72% of spread bets, while 61% of spread money is on New Orleans. But those splits could shift significantly between now and tipoff, on the Booker news.
The total opened at 215, dipped to 214 by Wednesday morning, returned to 215 in the past hour, then went to 216 on the Booker information. The Over is taking 72% of tickets, but 62% of cash is on the Under at the moment. Again, should Booker be a go tonight, those splits could see some late shifting, as well.
UPDATE 9 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: After getting drubbed by 15 points in Game 4, Phoenix returned home and returned the favor. The Suns (67-20 SU, 47-40 ATS) notched a 15-point win of their own in Game 5, prevailing 112-97 as 6.5-point favorites Tuesday.
Phoenix continues to play without All-Star guard Devin Booker (hamstring), who might return for Game 6. Booker hasn’t played since the third quarter of Game 2, which the Pelicans went on to win.
The Suns are now 3-2 SU and ATS in this playoff series and are 6-3 SU and ATS against the Pelicans this season. Phoenix is also 16-7 ATS in its last 23 as a postseason chalk. However, the Suns are in ATS ruts of 3-7 laying points, with all three wins coming in this series, and 1-5 as road faves.
New Orleans has been a good bounce-back team for bettors, going 8-1 ATS in its last nine following a SU loss. But the Pelicans are now 2-6 ATS in their last seven catching points, with the two covers coming in Games 2 and 4 of this series.
Game 5 fell a few points shy of the 215.5 total, ending a 3-0 Over run in this series. In nine Suns-Pelicans meetings this season, the Over is 5-4. The Over is also 13-3 in the last 16 head-to-head clashes in New Orleans and 8-2 in Phoenix’s last 10 as a playoff chalk.
Bookmakers aren’t yet convinced that Booker will play a significant role in Game 6. Phoenix is currently a 2-point favorite at TwinSpires, and the total is 210.5. Check back for updates on Suns vs. Pelicans betting odds and action.