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The New Orleans Pelicans will host the Phoenix Suns at Smoothie King Center on March 15th.
The Phoenix Suns will head into this away fixture on the back of a 140-111 blowout win against the LA Lakers. Winning even without some key players in their rotation, the Suns showed their dominance as the first-seed with the best record in the league.
The New Orleans Pelicans are also coming off a win. Registering a 130-105 win against the Houston Rockets, the Pelicans notched a much-needed victory to snap a four-game losing streak.
Phoenix Suns Injury Report
The Suns have a few key players to mention in their injury report ahead of Tuesday's game.
Phoenix were dealt a shocking blow when Chris Paul fractured his thumb before the All-Star break. He is expected to be out until mid-April at least.
Joining him on the injury report, Cameron Johnson has missed the last few games with a quad injury. While he has been listed as day-to-day, he may miss the upcoming game.
Long-term injuries on the roster will see Suns big men Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky remain out of the rotation. There is no timeline for their return.
New Orleans Pelicans Injury Report
The Pels fell upon tough times with injuries after their success following the All-Star break. With a number of key players out of the rotation, they haven't been in the best state.
Recent injuries have seen the star duo of Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum out of the rotation. Ingram suffered a hamstring injury and is due to be re-evaluated. He has been listed as out for the upcoming game.
McCollum is expected to return from medical protocols but has been listed as questionable.
Long-term injuries on the roster include recent addition Larry Nance join the report with a knee injury alongside Kira Lewis Jr. and Zion Williamson.
Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Odds & Spreads - March 15th, 2022
The oddsmakers have favored Phoenix to win by a decent margin in this matchup. Both teams will feature two key players missing from their regular rotation.
But even with the homecourt advantage, New Orleans doesn't have the necessary tools to take on the Suns. While also considering the Pelicans' form as of late, Phoenix have the upper hand.
Odds sourced from Fanduel SB
Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Tips
Phoenix Suns
- Phoenix have three of their last five games without Chris Paul and Cameron Johnson.
- The Suns rank 5th in offensive rating (114.0) and 2nd in defensive rating (105.8).
- Devin Booker has been averaging 26.7 points and 8.3 assists per game in his last 10 outings.
Click here to bet on Devin Booker scoring 28+ points and leading Phoenix to a win.
New Orleans Pelicans
- The Pelicans have won one game in their last five outings.
- CJ McCollum may return to the lineup.
- Jonas Valanciunas has averaged 17.5 points and 11.4 rebounds in the last 10 games.
Click here to bet on Jonas Valanciunas scoring the first basket of the game against the Suns.
Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Lineups
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have had a well-established lineup without Paul and Johnson. Cameron Payne has given the side some great minutes in the starting backcourt alongside Devin Booker.
With the frontcourt trio of Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder and Deandre Ayton remaining unchanged, the Suns will also have a lot of depth to support their starting rotation.
Players such as Aaron Holiday, Torrey Craig, JaVale McGee and Bismack Biyombo may see a lot of burn.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have quite a shorthanded roster considering the absences of CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. While McCollum is questionable, Devonte' Graham will continue to start at point guard alongside Naji Marshall in the backcourt.
The frontcourt trio will see no changes as Herbert Jones starts at small forward alongside Jaxson Hayes at power forward and Jonas Valanciunas at center.
The bench rotation may see significant minutes from players such as Jose Alvarado, Willy Hernangomez and Trey Murphy III.
Click here to register on FanDuel SB and bet on the Suns vs Pelicans game.
Phoenix Suns vs New Orleans Pelicans Predicted Starting 5’s
Phoenix Suns
G - Cameron Payne | G - Devin Booker | F - Mikal Bridges | F - Jae Crowder | C - Deandre Ayton
New Orleans Pelicans
G - Devonte Graham | G - Naji Marshall | F - Herbert Jones | F - Jaxson Hayes | C - Jonas Valanciunas
