The Denver Nuggets continue their road trip as they head over to NOLA to take on the New Orleans Pelicans. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Nuggets-Pelicans prediction and pick.
The Nuggets were the most active team at the trade deadline, acquiring both Aaron Gordon and JaVale McGee. Aaron Gordon will be a huge difference maker down the stretch. The Pelicans were also active as they shipped off sharpshooter JJ Redick to the Dallas Mavericks.
Denver has a chance to get to within one game of the Lakers in the standings with a win tonight. New Orleans has been up and down all year, despite wins against Utah, Denver, and both LA teams. This is a fairly even matchup with the last meeting ending in a 113-108 victory for the Pelicans.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Nuggets-Pelicans odds.
NBA Odds: Nuggets-Pelicans Odds
Denver Nuggets -2 (-108)
New Orleans Pelicans +2 (-112)
Over 231.5 Points (-110)
Under 231.5 Points(-110)
Why The Nuggets Could Cover The Spread
The Denver Nuggets made waves yesterday, acquiring star forward Aaron Gordon from the Orlando Magic. Gordon will likely be unavailable for tonight's game, but still brings an added energy around this Nuggets team. Denver is scorching hot of late, going 9-3 in their last 12 games. They enter this bounce back spot against the ‘Pels having lost to the Raptors in Tampa Bay. Despite the loss, Denver has been solid on the road in 2021 with a record of 6-1 SU in their last seven road affairs.
This Nuggets team possesses a top-five offense in the NBA. They are led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. Jokic is having a career year, averaging 27 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game thus far. He leads the league with a 31.83 player efficiency rating and shoots 57.1% from the field. He is playing phenomenal basketball recently. His right hand man Jamal Murray (21.1 ppg) has been solid as well and will see added success if he becomes more aggressive and gets to the line more often. The ‘Pels play horribly on the defensive end, which only adds to Denver's case.
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
The New Orleans Pelicans have built a solid nucleus around Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. The two young stars have taken a huge leap this season. Zion is having an incredible sophomore season, averaging 25.7 points points per game. He shoots 62.1% from the floor and leads the team with a 27.34 player efficiency rating. Zion has at least 27 points in his teams last five games. Brandon Ingram is second on the team in scoring with 24.2 points per game.
What this team lacks is a consistent third option. They've seen sparks from a few players on this roster. The latest player to surface is Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Walker had 20 points against the Nuggets and 18 against the Lakers. He shot over 50% from the floor in each and seems to be hitting a stride with added minutes. His emergence would be critical for a team that is already a top-5 offensive club. The ‘Pels have played well of late, going 5-1 ATS in their last six and 4-1 ATS in their last five home games against the Denver Nuggets.
Final Nuggets-Pelicans Prediction & Pick
In a matchup that sees two top-five offensive units facing off, we'd be crazy not to take a look at the total. The Nuggets score in bunches behind the elite production from Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have been playing very well and add firepower on that end of the floor for Denver. New Orleans plays very fast and scores at will through stretches. New Orleans struggles on the defensive end and the Nuggets just gave up 135 to the Raptors. This total is low. Let's hammer the over in this spot.
FINAL NUGGETS-PELICANS PICK: Over 231.5 (-110)
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