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Parlay: Indiana Pacers VS New Orleans Pelicans 2025-07-18

NBA Summer League Showdown: Pacers vs. Pelicans – The "Let It Fly" Parlay

The NBA Summer League’s version of “Which TikTok Dancer Will Crumble Under Pressure?” is here: Indiana Pacers vs. New Orleans Pelicans. Let’s dissect this matchup with the precision of a coach who still remembers the Pythagorean theorem.

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1. Parse the Odds: A Math Whiz’s Nightmare
The Pelicans are the clear favorites, with moneyline odds hovering around -150 to -175 (decimal: ~1.56-1.62), implying a 61.5% to 64% chance to win. The Pacers? They’re priced at +235 to +250 (decimal: ~2.35-2.5), translating to a 29.8% to 42.1% chance—about the same odds as correctly guessing your Uber driver’s playlist.

The spread tells a similar story: Pelicans are favored by 4 to 4.5 points, while the total line is locked at 186.5 points. Both the Over and Under are priced at -110, meaning bookmakers expect a nail-biter of a shootout or a defensive clinic… or maybe just a math error.

Key stat: The Pelicans’ recent 97-93 win over the Nets showcased their offensive firepower, while the Pacers’ 114-105 loss to the Bulls exposed defensive leaks. If the Pacers’ defense is a sieve, the Pelicans’ offense is the tsunami.

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2. Digest the News: Injuries, Rivalries, and One Former Circus Kid
The Pelicans are riding high with Trey Townsend, a former Arizona Wildcat, anchoring their backcourt. Meanwhile, the Pacers are hoping their “rebound-obsessed” big men can replicate their 52-rebound performance against the Bulls… though, let’s be real, 52 rebounds and a loss is just a fancy way of saying “you tried harder than your skill level allowed.”

The Pelicans’ recent win over the Nets proved they can score, while the Pacers’ loss revealed they can’t defend or shoot (they went 14-for-40 from three). Christian Koloko (Lakers) isn’t in this game, but his health struggles are a reminder that Summer League is part training camp, part medical experiment.

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3. Humorous Spin: Because Basketball Needs More Laughs
The Pacers’ defense is like a sieve that’s been upgraded to a colander by a chef who’s still not satisfied. They’ll let the Pelicans’ offense—led by Zion Williamson’s gravitational pull—score 110 points while wondering, “Did we forget to bring a plan?”

The Pelicans, meanwhile, are the Summer League’s answer to a SpaceX launch: explosive, inevitable, and slightly terrifying. Their 4.5-point spread is basically a mercy rule for the Pacers.

As for the total? 186.5 points is the sportsbook’s way of saying, “We’re not sure if this game will be a blowout or a snoozefest, so just bet on chaos.” But with the Pelicans’ offense and the Pacers’ “we’ll shoot until the cows come home” mentality, this game will likely blow past that number like a summer breeze in a heatwave.

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4. Prediction: The "Let It Fly" Parlay
Best Same-Game Parlay: Pelicans to cover the spread (-4.5) + Over 186.5 points.

Why? The Pelicans’ offense is a rocket ship, and the Pacers’ defense is a speed bump that forgot to raise its sign. The Pelicans should win by 5+ points, and with both teams shooting like they’re in a NBA 2K mycareer sprint, the Over is a near-guarantee.

Implied Probability Check:
- Pelicans cover (-4.5): Implied probability ~54% (based on -4.5 spread odds).
- Over 186.5: Implied probability ~51.5%.
Combined, this parlay has a ~27.7% chance to cash—not a sure thing, but better than your chances of correctly predicting your ex’s next text.

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Final Verdict: Bet the Pelicans to cover and the Over. If you’re feeling spicy, add Zion Williamson to score 20+ points as a three-leg parlay. But really, just enjoy the show—Summer League is where dreams go to die, and where Zion goes to literally dunk on them.

“The Pacers will shoot 25% from three and call it ‘strategic.’ The Pelicans will shoot 45% and call it ‘inevitable.’” — Your Humble Handicapper, quoting no one.

Created: July 18, 2025, 4:45 p.m. GMT