Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will look to extend their winning ways when they hit the road to take on Anthony Davis and the suddenly ‘drama-laden’ New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. With this Western Conference clash offering a ton of value, let’s find out which team is the best pick in this mid-week matchup.
Nuggets vs Pelicans NBA Betting Odds & Prediction
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— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 30, 2019
Why Bet On Denver at -8.5?
Why should you consider betting on Denver in this matchup? First and foremost, the Nuggets are playing good basketball having won three straight and five of their last six games overall including a hard-fought 95-92 win over Memphis on Monday night. The Nuggets have won 13 of their last 17 games and overcame a huge, 25-point deficit to get past the Grizz.
“We just didn’t give up,” star center Nikola Jokic told reporters after his team outscored the Grizzlies 35-15 in the final quarter. “That says something about the team. We don’t want to quit. We were fighting.”
Another great reason to back Denver is the fact that they’ve got the best defense in this matchup by far and one of the best defenses in the league in ranking sixth in points allowed (105.9 ppg). Another good reason to back Denver is the fact that the Nuggets simply have a better roster of players and a pair of blossoming stars in center Nikola Jokic (20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists) and sweet-shooting guard Jamal Murray (18.5 ppg). Last but not least, Denver will be facing a Pelicans team that won’t have its best player on the floor in superstar forward Anthony Davis.
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 111.61
- Field Goals: 46.94%
- Three Points: 35.51%
- Free Throws: 75.59%
- Rebounds: 46.86
- Average Score Against: 105.94
- Field Goals: 45.72%
- Three Points: 33.89%
- Free Throws: 75.02%
- Rebounds: 41.61
Why Bet On New Orleans at +8.5?
Why should you consider betting on the Pelicans in this one? Well, the best reason would be because they’re getting nearly double-digits and playing at home where they’ve gone 15-8 SU this season. Unfortunately, New Orleans has dropped six of their last nine, although they did manage to get past Houston 121-116 on Tuesday night. Another good reason to back the Pelicans is the fact that they have the better offense in this contest by putting up 116.7 points per game (3rd) to Denver’s 111.6 points per contest (18th). The Pelicans have been rocked by the recent announcement that franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis will not sign an extension with the organization and wants to be traded.
“That’s going to play out the way it plays out,” New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters of the Davis situation, with the Feb. 7 trade deadline quickly approaching. “I don’t talk about it very much. I think it’s out in the public now, and I think everything that needed to be said has been said.”
Team Statistics
Offense:- Average Score For: 116.69
- Field Goals: 48.14%
- Three Points: 35.14%
- Free Throws: 77.20%
- Rebounds: 46.88
- Average Score Against: 115.14
- Field Goals: 46.17
- Three Points: 36.66
- Free Throws: 75.16
- Rebounds: 44.49
Nuggets vs Pelicans NBA Betting Trends
- Denver is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
- Denver is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Denver’s last 8 games
- New Orleans is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of New Orleans’s last 7 games
Expert Analysis and Prediction for Nuggets vs Pelicans
When these two met in November, the Nuggets recorded a 125-115 win at home to cover the chalk as a pick ‘em, but I’m going to advise you to back New Orleans to get the ATS cover at the very least in this matchup. Despite their on-court excellence this season, the Nuggets have gone a discouraging 2-9 ATS in their last 11 road games and 1-5 ATS in their last six games against their Western Conference counterparts.
On the flip side of the coin, New Orleans has gone 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600 while the home team in this rivalry has gone 5-1 ATS in their last six meetings and the underdog has gone 9-4 ATS in the last 13 meetings overall. I’m going with Denver for the outright win, but New Orleans to cover the chalk!
NBA Betting Pick: Nuggets 111 Pelicans 105
