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With only four total games on the Thursday NBA slate, the surprise Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans will go head-to-head out on the hardwood in what will be one of the top games of the evening. It's time to check out our NBA odds series where our Trail Blazers-Pelicans prediction and pick will be made for all to see.
Entering Thursday's action, the Portland Trail Blazers have played an incredible brand of team basketball even with some of their best players not able to suit up due to injury. With an impressive 8-3 record which currently ranks second-best in the Western Conference, there is no doubt that head coach Chauncey Billups has this team headed in the right direction.
Standing with an overall record of 6-5 and possessing some explosiveness with Zion Wiliamson finally back in the lineup, New Orleans is no squad to underestimate. After compiling an underwhelming 36-46 record during the 2021-2022 regular season, New Orleans is finally close to full health and eager to show the rest of the league what it is all about.
Here are the Trail Blazers-Pelicans NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Trail Blazers-Pelicans Odds
Portland Trail Blazers: +8.5 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans: -8.5 (-110)
Over: 222.5 (-110)
Under: 222.5 (-110)
Why The Trail Blazers Could Cover The Spread
Above all else, the return of superstar point guard Damian Lillard from his early-season injuries have been a sight for sore eyes for all Blazer fans, but Portland will need to find other ways to get the offense going on Thursday with their top player planning on resting due to load management.
Lillard dropped 26 points in the victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, and the Trail Blazers will need some hefty contributions offensively to make up for missing Dame Time. Unfortunately for the Blazers, Lillard may have picked the worst night to rest his body as Portland has been hit harder by the injury bug any other team in the league. As it stands, the Blazers may be without forward Jerami Grant and center Jusuf Nurkic as well, both key starters who are listed as questionable for tonight's Western Conference showdown.
Nevertheless, there should be no worries about whether or not Billups and the rest of his coaching staff will have the team ready to play. The biggest difference-maker in this one for the Blazers will be finding a way to exploit the Pelicans offensive game plan by continuing to play solid and fundamental defense from start to finish. Through the team's first 11 games of the season, Portland has only surrendered a shade under 108 points per game and is finding ways to force turnovers as well. Against Charlotte last night, the Blazers swarmed the Hornets and allowed them to shoot only 25% from three on the way to only 95 total points.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
On paper, the general consensus of this Pelicans squad is one that is filled with more questions than anything. This is only because of the inability of the Pelicans over the years to find a way to stay healthy and keep their top-five players on the floor at the same time. Despite the small sample size, New Orleans is definitely showing that they can be a tough out for any team on any given night.
Not to mention, it is always a big storyline when veteran star C.J. McCollum battles it out with his former team from the Pacific Northwest. Now at the ripe age of 31, McCollum still serves as a bonafide scorer in this league and is averaging 19.1 points per game on 40% shooting. Clearly, McCollum will be a top scoring threat for the Pelicans in their pursuit to best the Blazers.
In addition, the Pels have only played three of their opening 11 games at home and will be embarking on a six-game home stand starting with the Blazers tonight. Although home-court advantage in the NBA isn't as important as college basketball, for example, being at home will surely give this New Orleans squad life in the key moments of the game.
Certainly, the Pelicans will need to tighten the screws on their overall shooting efficiency from the three-point line. After going a combined 3-of-19 from deep in their win over the Chicago Bulls, New Orleans cannot afford to shoot so poorly again in back-to-back games. As a whole, the Pelicans rank within the top-10 of teams when it comes to three-point percentage at 37.4% per contest, so consider the poor showing against the Bulls as just a passing hiccup.
Final Trail Blazers-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
In what should be an entertaining game to watch, bettors should take note that Portland is a scalding-hot 9-2 against the spread this season while the Pelicans have struggled to a 5-6 overall record ATS. Even being shorthanded, the Blazers should find a way to at least cover the +8.5 point mark.
Final Trail Blazers-Pelicans Prediction & Pick: Trail Blazers +8.5 (-110)
