Denver Nuggets (26-13) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (9-32)
January 13, 2026 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans +3.5; Over/Under: 234.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Denver Nuggets at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday night. Here’s a Pelicans vs Nuggets Prediction. This article will include a Pelicans vs Nuggets Pick.
Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
The Denver Nuggets are starting to heat up again as they’ve won three of their past four games overall and they will be eager to keep it going after outlasting the Bucks in a 108-104 win on Sunday. Tim Hardaway Jr led the team with 25 points on eight of 12 shooting off the bench, Aaron Gordon added 23 points with six rebounds and four assists while Peyton Watson chipped in with 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists. As a team, the Nuggets shot just 40 percent from the field and 14 of 35 from the 3-point line as they poured in 35 points in the second quarter to take a 15-point lead. This proved to be crucial as their lead was reduced to just two points with 5.9 seconds left on the clock before the Nuggets drained a pair of free throws to seal the win.
New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been ice-cold lately as they’ve lost 10 of their last 11 games overall and they will be looking to bounce back after getting beaten by the Magic in a 128-118 road defeat on Sunday. Zion Williamson led the team with 22 points on nine of 14 shooting, Trey Murphy III and Jordan Poole each scored 21 points while Jeremiah Fears chipped in with 16 points. As a team, the Pelicans shot 57 percent from the field and 14 of 26 from the 3-point line as they exploded for 39 points in the third quarter to take an 11-point lead. However, they really let themselves down in the fourth quarter, where they got outscored by 37-20 to lose by double digits in the end.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The Nuggets have lost each of their last four games as road favorites.
- The underdogs have won four of the Nuggets’ last five games.
- The home team has covered the spread in each of the last nine games between the Nuggets and Pelicans.
- The Nuggets have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games at Smoothie King Center.
Why the Denver Nuggets will win
- The Pelicans have lost 20 of their last 21 games against Western Conference opponents that held a winning record.
- The favorites have won each of the Pelicans’ last 11 games.
- The favorites have covered the spread in each of the Pelicans’ last seven games.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games as underdogs.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Pelicans’ last eight home games against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Ten of the Nuggets’ last 11 games as road favorites have gone OVER the total points line.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Prediction
The Nuggets have ruled out Nikola Jokic, Cameron Johnson and Christian Braun with Jamal Murray listed as questionable, while the Pelicans have ruled out Herbert Jones and Jose Alverado with Saddiq Bey listed as questionable. The Nuggets are starting to get some players back from injury, and it has translated into wins for them, while the Pelicans snapped a nine-game losing streak, only to lose to the depleted Magic in a tough loss on Sunday. You couldn’t back either side with too much confidence, but the shorthanded Nuggets were good enough to take down the Bucks in their last outing. They could get a significant boost if Murray is able to return to the lineup. With the line so short, I am sticking with the more reliable Nuggets to get the win on the road.
