Suns vs Pelicans

Devin Booker and the Suns come into this second straight night in New Orleans riding a two-game win streak and a 2-0 season series lead over the Pelicans, including a 23-point rout in Phoenix fueled by Grayson Allen’s 42-point outburst and a seven-point win last night behind Booker’s 30 and Mark Williams’ dominant fourth quarter. With Phoenix still missing perimeter depth in Allen and Jalen Green but otherwise leaning on a more stable core than New Orleans, which remains without Dejounte Murray and top stopper Herb Jones, the Suns’ edge in shot creation and defensive versatility has consistently surfaced in this matchup. Zion Williamson has been impactful since returning, yet the Pelicans’ season-long inconsistency and ugly free-throw showing in Friday’s loss underscore why laying the -225 moneyline price on the deeper, better-organized Suns is justified even on a road back-to-back. I’d play Phoenix on the moneyline to anchor parlays or modest straight bets at this number, grading it a B based on high win probability but only moderate value at the current price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 27/12/2025 09:39

Zion Williamson’s Pelicans have found more offensive rhythm of late, but both prior meetings with Phoenix this season landed comfortably below 239 total points (219 and 223), even with the Suns shooting well from three once and getting big nights from Booker and Williams last time out. Phoenix is averaging roughly mid-teens in points per game while New Orleans sits in a similar band yet has struggled with efficiency, highlighted by high turnover counts earlier in the year and a brutal 25-for-42 free-throw line in Friday’s loss, and the Suns are down two rotation shooters in Allen and Green. Add in the fatigue factor of consecutive games in the same building plus Phoenix’s improved rebounding and rim protection against a Pelicans team that leans heavily on Williamson and Trey Murphy III for creation, and the number at 239 still looks inflated relative to how these specific rosters have played each other. I like the Under 239 at -110 with a B+ grade given the matchup history, injury context and the likelihood of a slightly slower, grindier second leg. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 27/12/2025 09:39

Mark Williams and the Suns’ front line have repeatedly punished New Orleans on the glass and at the rim, helping Phoenix cover numbers like this with ease in the 121-98 blowout in November and sneaking inside the number again with Friday’s seven-point win, while the Pelicans now slip into a mini losing streak after their brief resurgence. Even with Grayson Allen sidelined, Phoenix can still stagger Booker and Dillon Brooks to attack the Pelicans’ shaky perimeter defense, and New Orleans remains without Murray’s on-ball creation and Herb Jones’ point-of-attack defense, forcing heavy usage on Williamson, Murphy and Jordan Poole. The risk here is obvious in a back-to-back spot on the road, where shooting variance or fatigue could keep this close, but the matchup trends (rebounding edge, three-point differential and the Suns’ ability to target Pelicans bigs like Derik Queen and Yves Missi in space) still tilt toward another multi-possession Phoenix victory. I’m laying the -5.5 with the Suns at -110 for a B-grade play, solid but not elite given the scheduling and injury volatility. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 27/12/2025 09:39