The Pelicans' official injury report heading into tonight lists three players (Rip City Radio / iHeart, Apr 2):
No new late scratches, suspensions, or load-management additions noted across sources.
Line has moved materially toward Portland since the early research run (Winners & Whiners, Apr 2; SportsBetting3, Apr 2; SportsGrid live, Apr 2):
| Snapshot | Spread | Total | Moneyline (POR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open (Apr 1, ~10:10 PM) | POR -6 (-106) | 231.5 | — |
| Early morning (Apr 2, ~6:12 AM) | POR -6.5 (-108) | 232.5 | — |
| Live (~6:23 PM EST, ~3.5 hrs to tip) | POR -7.5 (Kalshi) | 232.5 | -245 |
| Books (BetMGM/BetRivers current) | POR -6.5 to -7 | 233–233.5 | -275 |
Key takeaway: The spread has drifted +1 to +1.5 points in Portland's favor from open to now — a meaningful move. Despite 71% of public money and 57% of tickets backing New Orleans +6.5 (the underdog), the line has moved against that public lean, suggesting sharp/professional money is hammering Portland. This is a classic "fading the public" line move. The total has also ticked up from 231.5 to 232.5–233.5 across books.
Portland's four-man injury list is unchanged heading into tip-off. All four remain confirmed OUT:
Cross-referenced and confirmed by Rip City Radio injury report (Apr 2) and Covers (Apr 2, updated 9:32 AM ET). No new additions and no game-time decisions flagged for Portland.
Acting coach Tiago Splitter is running the bench tonight, per OregonLive's game preview (updated Apr 2, 12:23 PM PT). No change from recent games.
Lines as of ~6:12 AM ET today (Winners & Whiners, Apr 2):
Line movement note: The spread held firm at -6.5 despite 71% of public money and 57% of tickets landing on New Orleans +6.5 — indicating the books (and likely sharp action) are comfortable with Portland as a 6.5-point home favorite and are not moving to accommodate the public underdog lean. The total creeping up from 231.5 → 232.5 suggests some market confidence in a higher-scoring game than the opener implied, though multiple analysts still favor the Under given Portland's elite recent defensive rating.
Portland enters 39-38, a half-game behind the Clippers for the No. 8 seed, riding a 7-2 SU / 6-3 ATS run. The available core of Jrue Holiday, Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, and Donovan Clingan has been more than sufficient during this stretch. No late scratches or load-management concerns flagged for any of these players.