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TGIF basketball fans! Get ready for some hectic In-Season NBA Tournament action as the Denver Nuggets battle it out with the New Orleans Pelicans to kick off the weekend! Join us for our NBA odds series where our Nuggets-Pelicans prediction and pick will be revealed.
In the wake of Jamal Murray's hamstring injury, the Nuggets have not missed a beat. Owning the best record in all of the NBA, Denver is fresh off of a grind-it-out victory over the Los Angeles Clippers that catapulted the Nuggets to a 2-0 record in the In-Season NBA Tournament as well as a 9-2 mark overall. With tonight serving as the first contest in a five-game road trip, can the Nuggets get off to a good start away from home?
Meanwhile, the Pelicans sit one game below the .500 mark at 5-6 and were able to snap a dreadful five-game losing streak with a 131-110 triumph over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. With a couple of days rest since the last time they were out on the hardwood, could New Orleans finally be turning a corner in the early stages of this 2023-2024 regular season?
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Pelicans Odds
Denver Nuggets: -5.5 (-106)
New Orleans Pelicans: +5.5 (-114)
Over: 226 (-110)
Under: 226 (-110)
How to Watch Nuggets vs. Pelicans
Time: 8:00 ET/5:00 PT
TV: Altitude Sports/NBA League Pass
Article Continues Below
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread
At first glance, the overall depth of this team is extremely terrifying. No Jamal Murray? No problem whatsoever. Indeed, veteran guard Reggie Jackson was inserted into the starting lineup once Murray went down and he has played exceptionally well! On paper, the 33-year-old floor general is averaging 17.3 PPG over the course of his last three games and is taking advantage of the extra playing time. Even more so, Jackson is connecting on 35% of three-point attempts and is also shooting 46% from the field. Without a doubt, Nuggets bettors should keep their eyes peeled for Reggie Jackson to be a difference-maker in this game one way or another.
Not to mention, but with tonight's action having some increased meaning with it being an In-Sean Tournament showdown, the excellence of Nikola Jokic should once again be on display. Lately, the Serbian wonder himself has been looking to score en route to averaging 30.0 points per game and has scored at least 35 points in three of his last four games. Furthermore, Jokic leads the league in rebounds per game and is also dishing out an absurd 8.4 assists per contest at the center position. Ladies and gentlemen, we are seeing unprecedented greatness from one of the greatest basketball players to ever grace a court. Enjoy it while you still can!
All in all, one element of the game that could sink Denver's chances to cover the spread is due to their porous free-throw shooting. Believe it or not, but the Nuggets are statistically the worst free-throw shooting team from the charity stripe in all of basketball with a lackluster 71.9%. Alas, if Denver can't connect on their free throws in crunch time, then it may come back to bite them.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
On the other side of things, the Pelicans have no doubt gotten off to a slower start than they would've liked, but there is still plenty of star power existing within this roster.
Overall, New Orleans was finally able to put it all together in their 21-point win over Dallas and shot lights out from the floor in all aspects. By the time the clock had hit triple zeroes, the ‘Pels had shot 52% as a whole and even went an above-average 14-38 from beyond the arc. In order for the Pelicans to keep up with a high-scoring team like the Nuggets, look no further than the one-two punch of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson to be a handful for Denver and its defenders.
The up-and-down career to this point of Williamson has been well-documented, and while he might not ever live up to the lofty expectations that he once had coming out of college, he is still a physical specimen that is a mismatch for most defenses. Overall, Williamson should not be considered a great shooter, but if he can continue to drive to the rack and accumulate free-throw attempts, then watch out! Plus, Ingram is a bonafide scorer in his own stretch and his overall length could give Denver some issues all evening long.
Most importantly, New Orleans had some active hands defensively in their win over the Mavericks which resulted in a whopping season-high 17 steals on the night. As a whole, the Pelicans' recipe for success will be to force a plethora of Nuggets turnovers to maximize their offensive possessions.
Final Nuggets-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
Remember, it was the Pelicans that held a 20-point lead eleven days ago in the Mile High City before squandering it in epic fashion. Indeed, this one is coming down to the wire, and whether it remains to be seen if they can come out victorious or not, the end of this fourth quarter should be entertaining, to say the least!
Final Nuggets-Pelicans Prediction & Pick: Pelicans +5.5 (-114)
