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The Brooklyn Nets will face off with the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Nets-Pelicans prediction and pick.
This is one of the most one-sided games of Friday night's slate. The Nets came into this season with sky-high expectations, and they aren't falling short of them. Brooklyn has earned the third seed in the Eastern Conference, collecting impressive wins over the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks in the process. The Pelicans haven't been quite as successful this season, as shown by their 1-11 record. It's hard to see that record improving in this contest, but it should still be an entertaining matchup.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for the Nets-Pelicans game.
NBA Odds: Nets-Pelicans Odds
Brooklyn Nets: -8.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans: +8.5 (-110)
Over: 214.5 (-112)
Under: 214.5 (-108)
Why The Nets Can Cover The Spread
The Nets are clearly a championship contender. Superstar forward Kevin Durant has led his team to a solid record to start the season, particularly on the offensive end. The Nets don't score that many points, but there are a plethora of other statistics that show just how productive and efficient this Brooklyn offense has been. Head coach Steve Nash's squad ranks inside the top five in the NBA in effective field goal percentage, three-point percentage, and overall shooting efficiency. Those stats should play well against a New Orleans team that ranks in the bottom ten in the league in nearly every single defensive metric.
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Brooklyn's offense is what attracts all the headlines, but their defense has been equally good. The Nets only allow 103 points per game while holding their opponents to a 42% shooting percentage. Both of those numbers are among the best in the NBA. It's difficult to see a Pelicans team that scores the third-least points per game having a good offensive showing here against one of the best defenses in the league.
Why The Pelicans Can Cover The Spread
The Pelicans obviously own an abysmal overall record, but they aren't nearly as bad against the spread, particularly at home. New Orleans is 2-3 ATS when they play on their home floor as they will here. That record improves to 2-2-1 when the Pelicans play in Smoothie King Center as an underdog. It honestly isn't much, but at least the Pelicans have shown that they have the ability to cover on their home floor against more talented opponents.
Another factor that will play into this game is Brooklyn's inconsistency. The Nets have been blown out multiple times this year by teams that they should've been able to hang around with. Brooklyn also tends to play down to their competition on occasion, as evidenced by their recent six-point win over the Detroit Pistons. The Pelicans don't have much going for them here, but they're still a professional basketball team. It's not out of the question that the Nets overlook this game after playing four consecutive road games.
Final Nets-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
There's no way anyone can pick the Pelicans with confidence. They've been horrible all year, and now they face one of the best teams in the NBA with a single-digit spread. Take the Nets with confidence in this one.
Final Nets-Pelicans Prediction & Pick: Brooklyn Nets: -8.5 (-110)
