New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Betting Picks, Odds, Lines & Predictions
On Wednesday night, the Pelicans will travel to Denver for their final NBA betting game of the season series against the Nuggets. New Orleans is currently 11th in the West, with a 27-34 overall record. That puts them three games behind Golden State for the last play-in spot. Their postseason chances are extremely slim now. Losing 5 in their last 7 games certainly didn’t help their case. However, the Pelicans are coming off a solid win against the Clippers and will look to surprise another West contender. Their win also helped the Nuggets, who are now only one 1 game behind the Clips for the third spot in the conference. They did pretty well lately, winning 6 times in the last 7 outings. Over the season, they’re 40-21 straight up and 29-32 against the spread. This is the third and final matchup between the two this season. They split the first two games with mirroring scorelines, 113-108.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Betting Odds & Line Movement
The opening online NBA betting odds favored the Nuggets by -5. With some early money going the underdog’s way, the line has moved a bit. At the moment, it stands at -4. Most online sportsbooks have set the total at 228.5.
Notes On The New Orleans Pelicans
The inconsistent play throughout the season will likely cost the New Orleans Pelicans their postseason spot. They do have a favorable schedule in the remaining games but it’s hard to see them catching up with the Warriors. Still, three of those games are against the Dubs, so the Pels still have a glimmer of hope. The defensive woes have followed this team through the campaign. Stan Van Gundy was brought in to sort things out on that end, but they still rank 5th from the bottom in defensive rating. On the other side of the court, they fared much better. Zion is a force and has led his team to the 5th in offensive rating. Last time out, New Orleans notched a convincing win against Kahwi-less Clippers. Six players scored in double digits, led by Zion Williamson with 23 points.
Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker remain out for tonight’s game. Steven Adams and James Johnson are listed as questionable.
Notes On The Denver Nuggets
After a season-ending injury to Jamal Murray, the problems keep piling on for the Denver Nuggets. At the moment, they’re playing with a depleted backcourt as Morris and Barton are also out. However, led by MVP*front-runner Nikola Jokic and surging Michael Porter Jr., they still managed to stay alive in the hunt for the 3rd spot in the West. Getting to 3rd would probably mean avoiding the Lakers in the first round. Two days ago, they easily dealt with the Grizzlies, mainly thanks to the excellent play of their frontcourt. MPJ scored 31, Jokic had an efficient 24 on 50% from the field plus 15 rebounds, while Gordon added 15 points.
With Murray, Morris, and Barton still out, the Nuggets will probably again start Campazzo and Dozier at the guard spots.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Betting Pick, & Prediction:Denver -4
The Pelicans are one of the league’s worst road teams and we don’t see it changing tonight. They don’t have the weapons to exploit Denver’s perimeter issues. Plus, the likely absence of Steven Adams will make things easier for Nikola Jokic. The Serbian center averages 33 points in the two previous matchups.
