Denver Nuggets (7-3) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (3-9)
November 15, 2024 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: New Orleans Pelicans +5.5; Over/Under: +229.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Denver Nuggets travel to the Smoothie King Center to battle the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Here’s a New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Prediction. This article will include a New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Pick.
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets have been on fire as they’ve won seven of their last eight games overall and they will be eager to build on their current five-game win streak after outlasting the Mavericks in a thrilling 122-120 home win on Sunday. Nikola Jokic led the team with a triple-double of 37 points with 18 rebounds and 15 assists, Jamal Murray added 18 points with six assists, Michael Porter Jr scored 17 points, while Peyton Watson chipped in with 16 points. As a team, the Nuggets shot 50 percent from the field and 14 of 29 from the 3-point line as they trailed for most of the game before they clicked into gear and exploded for 37 points in the third quarter to take control of the contest. Still, the scores were tied late in the game, until the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr made the go-ahead shot with just 6.1 seconds left on the clock. The Nuggets will take on the Grizzlies after this game.
New Orleans Pelicans
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have been in a terrible slump as they’ve lost nine of their last 10 games overall and they will be hoping to put a halt to a six-game slide after getting thrashed by the Thunder in a 106-88 road defeat on Wednesday. Brandon Ingram led the team with 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists, Trey Murphy added 14 points while Brandon Boston Jr chipped in with eight points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot just 39 percent from the field and nine of 37 from the 3-point line which was good enough to hang with the Thunder in the first half, but things only got worse in the second half where the Pelicans amassed just 38 points to lose by double digits in the end.
Why the Denver Nuggets will win
- The Nuggets have won 18 of their last 19 night games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Pelicans have lost each of their last eight games against Northwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
- The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents.
- The favorites have covered the spread in each of the Pelicans’ last four games.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Nuggets’ last eight games has gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Pelicans’ last five home games against Western Conference opponents has gone UNDER the total points line.
New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts
- Brandon Ingram ranks 2nd amongst qualified Forwards for FT% (89.3%) this season.
Denver Nuggets Player Facts
- Nikola Jokic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for assists per game (11.7) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pelicans rank 30th in the league for points per game this season (105.4).
- The Pelicans rank 30th in the league for Q4 points per game this season (24.8).
- The Nuggets rank 1st in the league for assists per game this season (30.7).
- The Nuggets rank 30th in the league for opponent assists per game this season (30.7).
New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Prediction
The Nuggets will again be missing Aaron Gordon, and they have Nikola Jokic listed as questionable, while the Pelicans are still missing a bunch of players including Zion Williamson, Jose Alverado, Herbert Jones, and CJ McCollum. You couldn’t have two teams further from each other as the Nuggets are soaring high, while the Pelicans are struggling mightily as they’re missing almost their entire starting lineup. The Nuggets have won two of their three road games this season, and I think they get the job done in this one at the modest line.
