3rd Quarter Report
Only one more quarter stands between the Pelicans and the victory they were favored to collect coming into this evening. They are way out in front with a 105-71 lead over the Raptors.
The Pelicans came into the contest with some extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced off. We’ll see if they’re able to flip the script or if it’ll just be more of the same.
Who’s Playing
Toronto Raptors @ New Orleans Pelicans
Current Records: Toronto 17-32, New Orleans 28-21
How To Watch
- When: Monday, February 5, 2024 at 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, Louisiana
- TV: Bally Sports – New Orleans
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $3.00
What to Know
The Pelicans will be playing the full four quarters on Monday, but they’re expected to have things wrapped up well before that. They will be playing at home against the Toronto Raptors at 8:00 p.m. ET at Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans will be strutting in after a win while the Raptors will be stumbling in from a defeat.
Last Friday, New Orleans skirted by the Spurs 114-113 thanks to a clutch driving layup from Zion Williamson with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans were down 78-66 with 7:55 left in the third quarter but they still came back for the handy one-point win.
Williamson was the offensive standout of the match as he scored 33 points along with eight rebounds. He is trending in the right direction, as he’s improved his point production for three games straight.
Meanwhile, the Raptors fought the good fight in their overtime game against the Thunder on Sunday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 135-127 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Thunder. The Raptors were up 23 in the third but still couldn’t manage to seal the deal.
The victory makes it two in a row for New Orleans and bumps their season record up to 28-21. As for Toronto, they have traveled a rocky road recently having lost seven of their last eight matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 17-32 record this season.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: The Pelicans haven’t given up the ball easily this season, having only averaged 12.7 turnovers per game. However, it’s not like the Raptors struggle in that department as they’ve been averaging only 12.8 turnovers per game. Given these competing strengths, it’ll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Pelicans came up short against the Raptors in their previous meeting back in February of 2023, falling 115-110. Will the Pelicans have more luck at home instead of on the road?
Odds
New Orleans is a big 11.5-point favorite against Toronto, according to the latest NBA odds.
The line has drifted a bit towards the Pelicans, as the game opened with the Pelicans as a 9-point favorite.
The over/under is set at 230.5 points.
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Series History
New Orleans and Toronto both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- Feb 23, 2023 – Toronto 115 vs. New Orleans 110
- Nov 30, 2022 – New Orleans 126 vs. Toronto 108
- Feb 14, 2022 – New Orleans 120 vs. Toronto 90
- Jan 09, 2022 – Toronto 105 vs. New Orleans 101
- Jan 02, 2021 – New Orleans 120 vs. Toronto 116
- Dec 23, 2020 – New Orleans 113 vs. Toronto 99
- Nov 08, 2019 – Toronto 122 vs. New Orleans 104
- Oct 22, 2019 – Toronto 130 vs. New Orleans 122
- Mar 08, 2019 – Toronto 127 vs. New Orleans 104
- Nov 12, 2018 – New Orleans 126 vs. Toronto 110
