Jonas Valanciunas is primed to light up the scoreboard with more than 16.5 points as the New Orleans Pelicans face off against the Charlotte Hornets.

Get ready, Pelicans fans and savvy sports bettors – Jonas Valanciunas is about to put on a show. With a points line set at a mere 16.5, the big man is poised to make some serious noise in the upcoming matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. The stats don't lie, and if you're a fan of data-driven betting, this is the play for you.

For starters, let's break down Valanciunas' season averages. He's putting up a respectable 14.25 points per game this year, but when you dive deeper into the numbers, the story gets even more compelling. At home, Valanciunas is averaging 12.26 points per game, but on the road, that number jumps to 16.29 points per game. That's right – the big man thrives under the bright lights of opposing arenas, and he's about to bring that fire to Charlotte.

Now, you might be thinking, "Sure, but how has he been performing recently?" Well, let's take a closer look at Valanciunas' numbers over the last 20, 10, and 5 games. Over the last 20 games, he's averaging 12.8 points per game and has scored more than 16.5 points in 5 of those games. Over the last 10 games, he's averaging 13.5 points per game and has surpassed the 16.5-point mark in 4 of those games. And in his last 5 games, Valanciunas is averaging a whopping 16.6 points, hitting the over in 3 of those contests.

What does that tell you? It's clear that Valanciunas is trending upward, and his recent performances suggest that he's more than capable of covering the over in this matchup. But wait, there's more – let's talk about Valanciunas' head-to-head stats against the Hornets. In one game against Charlotte this season, Valanciunas put up a jaw-dropping 30 points. That's right, folks – he nearly doubled the 16.5-point line in that contest.

Now, we all know that past performance doesn't always predict future success. But with Valanciunas' recent hot streak and his dominant performance against the Hornets earlier this year, it's hard not to get excited about the potential for a big game from the big man. Add in the fact that the Hornets have been a favorable matchup for centers all season, giving up the third-most points per game and the most rebounds per game to the position, and you've got a recipe for success.

So, what's the bottom line? If you're looking for a smart play in the Pelicans-Hornets matchup, consider the over on Jonas Valanciunas' 16.5 points line. Given his recent form, road game performance, and history against Charlotte, all signs point to a big game from the big man. As always, there are no guarantees in sports betting, but sometimes the numbers speak for themselves. And in this case, they're saying one thing loud and clear: Valanciunas is ready to make some noise.