Pelicans vs. Nuggets Odds, Trends, Prediction

New Orleans Pelicans (38-38 SU, 36-40-0 ATS) vs. Denver Nuggets (51-24 SU, 40-34-1 ATS)
When: Thursday, March 30th, 10:00 PM (ET)
Where: Ball Arena, CO, Denver
TV: TNT

Point Spread: NO +7.5/Den -7.5 (Stop wasting your hard earned money! Stop laying -110 odds! Start saving huge money TODAY by making the switch to -105 odds at BAS Sportsbook! You’ll be so glad you took the 5 minutes to do so!)
Total: OFF
Money Line: New Orleans Pelicans +235/-293

Notable Injuries

Pelicans

• Zion Williamson (Out) Hamstring
• Jose Alvarado (Out) Lower Leg
• EJ Liddell (Out) Knee

Nuggets

• Nikola Jokic (Questionable) Calf
• Vlatko Cancar (Questionable) Ankle
• Peyton Watson (Questionable) Illness
• Collin Gillespie (Out) Lower Leg
• Jack White (Out) Health Protocols

Recent Form

Heading into the game, New Orleans is 38-38 overall. When taking to the road, New Orleans has a mark of 14-25 and a win percentage of 36%. Currently, the team is 9th in the Western Conference. So far, they are 36-40-0 vs. the spread. When looking at how the team has performed of late straight and vs. the spread, they are 4-1 in their past five games and 4-1 ATS. Over their past ten games, they are 6-4 SU and 6-4 ATS.

Most recently, New Orleans lost to the Warriors by a score of 120-109. Brandon Ingram and his 26 points were not enough for the team to pull out a win as 8-point underdogs. The Pelicans also finished with an ATS loss in the game.

Heading into the game, Denver is 51-24 overall. When playing at home, Denver has a mark of 32-6 and a win percentage of 84%. Currently, the team is 1st in the Western Conference. So far, they are 40-34-1 vs. the spread. Denver will look to stay hot in today’s game vs. New Orleans as they are the winners of 4 straight games.

Most recently, the Nuggets took down the 76ers by a score of 116-111. Nikola Jokic finished with 25 points, which was the most on the team. Denver did not cover the spread as 10-point favorites.

The Historicals

In the most recent matchup between the two teams, the Pelicans picked up the 121-106 win over the Nuggets. The Pelicans’ margin of victory was enough to cover the spread as a 2.0-point favorite. So far this season, the Nuggets have a record of 2-1 vs. the Pelicans. The level of competition has been tight in the five most recent games between the Pelicans and Nuggets, with just 1 point per game separating the teams. New Orleans has the ATS edge in this span at 3-2. In these matchups, the teams have put together an over-under mark of 2-3. Combined, they averaged 229 points in these games.

Analysis

This year, the New Orleans offense is not only near the NBA average in points at 114.3 points per game, but they are also playing at a pace similar to the league average. So far, the Pelicans are ranked 14th in possessions per contest. New Orleans comes into the game ranked just 28th in 3-point attempts per game. So far, they have connected on 36.2% of their shots from deep, which places them 22nd in the NBA. On defense, the Pelicans allow an average of 110.28 points per game, placing them 13th in the league. So far, teams have shot 36.48% on their looks from outside vs. New Orleans. This figure places them 26th in 3-point shooting defense.

CJ McCollum is the top scorer for New Orleans, averaging 20.8 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 43.5%. The team’s second-leading scorer is Jonas Valanciunas, averaging 14.3 points per game.

This year, Denver is the 23rd-ranked scoring unit in the NBA at 116.8 points per game. Their strong production has come despite being one of the slower-paced teams in the NBA at just 97.9 possessions per game. Denver has struggled with their 3-point shot this season, as they are currently ranked just 1st in 3-point shooting percentage at 38.9%. In addition, they are near the bottom of the league in attempts, at just 31.2 attempts per contest. On defense, the Nuggets are allowing an average of 110.41 points per game, placing them 14th in the league. So far, they have done a good job defending the 3-point arc, as teams are hitting just 34.42% of their looks from deep.

Heading into the game, Nikola Jokic is listed as questionable on the injury report. This season, he leads the team with a per-game scoring average of 24.9. Currently, Jamal Murray is 2nd on the team in scoring at 20.1 points per game.

Betting Trends

• The Pelicans are 5-0 ATS in their last five games playing on one days rest.
• The Pelicans are 5-1 ATS in their last six games overall.
• The Nuggets are 4-1 ATS in their last five Thursday games.
• The Nuggets are 8-2 ATS in their last ten games playing on two days’ rest.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

The Pels have won five out of their last six games; however, they played most of the worst teams in the league. These teams don’t match up very well, and the Pelicans have no answer for Jokic. Furthermore, the Nuggets are 3-1 in the last four meetings in Denver. Note: Be sure to check the starting lineup. There’s a chance Jokic sits on the first game of a back-to-back. If he’s out, pass on the play. Double your bankroll by scoring a 100% real cash bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $500 when you enter bonus promo code PREDICTEM at Betnow Sportsbook!