New Orleans Pelicans (1-0) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (0-1)
October 25, 2024 10:00 pm EDT
The Line: Portland Trail Blazers +5.5; Over/Under: +217.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The New Orleans Pelicans and the Portland Trail Blazers do battle at the Moda Center on Friday night. Here’s a Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction. This article will include a Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans Pick.
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans will be looking to stay undefeated after blowing past the Bulls in a 123-111 home win in their season opener on Wednesday. Brandon Ingram led the team with 33 points on 13 of 23 shooting, CJ McCollum added 23 points with five assists while Dejounte Murray chipped in with 14 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists. As a team, the Pelicans shot 46 percent from the field and 14 of 37 from the 3-point line as they kept pace with the Bulls in a tightly contested first half, before they broke free with 36 points in the third quarter to pull away and make it look easy in the end.
Portland Trail Blazers
Meanwhile, the Portland Trail Blazers are hoping for a better performance after getting run off the floor against the Warriors in a 140-104 home defeat on Wednesday. Scoot Henderson led the team in scoring with 22 points off the bench, Jerami Grant added 16 points while Deni Avdija and Anfernee Simons each scored 15 points. As a team, the Trail Blazers shot just 39 percent from the field and eight of 34 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match it with the Warriors from the start and were never a threat after falling behind by double digits going into halftime. The Trail Blazers committed 17 turnovers and allowed the Warriors to scorch them for 32 fast break points.
Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win
- The Trail Blazers have lost each of their last 22 games against Western Conference opponents that held a winning record.
- The Pelicans have won each of their last 14 games against Trail Blazers teams that held a losing record.
- The Pelicans have covered the spread in each of their last six road games following a home win.
- The Trail Blazers have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games against Southwest Division opponents that held a winning record.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Pelicans’ last six night games at Moda Center have gone UNDER the total points line.
- Each of the Trail Blazers’ last four home games against the Pelicans following a home loss has gone UNDER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Trail Blazers rank T1st in the league for Q1 opponent points per game this season (21.0).
- The Trail Blazers ranks T3rd in the league for pace this season (107.2).
- The Pelicans rank 1st in the league for steals per game this season (15.0).
- The Pelicans rank T1st in the league for blocks per game this season (10.0).
Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction
The Pelicans are shorthanded with Dejounte Murray now joining Trey Murphy on the sidelines, while the Trail Blazers are still without Shaedon Sharpe, Robert Williams, and Matisse Thybulle. The injury to Murray really spoils the impressive win for the Pelicans in their season opener, but I don’t think it will cost them against this rebuilding Trail Blazers team who don’t look any better than they did last season. The Pelicans are still the superior team with Ingram and McCollum running the offense, so I don’t think we’re getting enough free points from the bookies to side with the Trail Blazers. Give me the Pelicans to come away with the win and cover at the reasonable line.
