Pelicans vs. Clippers Friday NBA play-in tournament odds: Paul George ruled out (COVID), spread swings 5 points with New Orleans now favored

Lesson No. 125 why it's wise to wait until the last minute to wager on any game: Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George was just ruled out of tonight's Western Conference elimination play-in tournament game against the visiting New Orleans Pelicans as he has entered the league's health and safety protocols. Obviously, a devastating blow for LA, and oddsmakers have shifted the spread from Clippers from -4 to New Orleans -1. The total has dropped from 216.5 to 214.5.

George has looked very good since returning from missing 43 games with a knee injury, averaging 22.6 points, 6.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds in about 31 minutes per night post-return (five regular-season games). He surely would have played more minutes and had bigger numbers, but the Clippers were largely locked into their playoff seeding in the final couple of weeks. In Tuesday's 109-104 loss at Minnesota in the first play-in game, George had 34 points (no one else on the Clippers more than 17), seven rebounds and five assists.

The SportsLine Projection Model forecasted George for 24.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists tonight and had the Clippers winning by seven. New sims should be posted very soon. 

Most likely, Norman Powell, the trade acquisition from Portland, will slide into the starting lineup. He also recently returned from a long injury absence. Powell had 16 points in 27 minutes off the bench Tuesday, and the Clippers outscored the Timberwolves by three with him on the court.

The Los Angeles bench could be really thin with Powell in the starting five because guard Luke Kennard is in question after missing Tuesday's game with a hamstring injury. He averages 11.9 points per game and is one of the NBA's top three-point shooters.

The winner of tonight's game would face the West No. 1 Phoenix Suns on Sunday, and presumably George would miss at least that game (barring a false positive), too, if the Clippers can pull the upset Friday. 

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