Nuggets Take On Injury-Riddled Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans have lost eight straight games and seem to have no answers right now. Injuries have hampered the roster, but they’re also not playing at a high level, even when they have their stars.
They travel to take on Denver next and while the Nuggets have lost two straight and three of their last four, they had been riding a nine-game winning streak before that.
Which of these two squads is the best option versus the NBA betting odds?
Let’s check the latest NBA news, stats, injury report and NBA lines for Pelicans vs Nuggets. We’ve got plenty of NBA picks for you to consider.
Pelicans Need More Bodies Back
New Orleans has been suffering from the absence of Zion Williamson after he injured his hamstring. However, the injury news got even worse with both Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum on the report.
Zion is already ruled out for this game, but both Ingram and McCollum have been hit with a game-time decision tag. They missed Sunday’s game against Milwaukee, but by all accounts, it was more load management than anything serious.
Those who bet online will have to double-check the status of these players before locking in their wagers. After all, these are the team’s best three scorers.
The Pelicans are struggling at both ends of the court as they’re 22nd in opponent field goal percentage on their last 10 games. Meanwhile, no team has averaged less than their 105.0 over their last 10. Not much is going right for them.
Nuggets Looking to Rebound From Recent Loss
Denver was just handled by the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. They only lost by seven points, but it was a game that got hyped up due to the matchup between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.
Embiid dominated the league MVP as Philadelphia rode to a win.
The good news is that this matchup should be much easier. Jokic is currently averaging 25.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 9.9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. With Williamson out, he should have a good night.
The Nuggets traveled to New Orleans last Tuesday, with Denver winning 99-98. This time, the contest shouldn’t be as close, considering the Nuggets are 22-4 when playing at home.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Game Injuries
Pelicans vs Nuggets Head-to-Head
The Pelicans and the Nuggets have met up twice this season, splitting the series and winning one game each.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Information
- Game: Pelicans (26-25) vs Nuggets (34-16)
- Location: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 31, 10:00 p.m. ET
- Pelicans vs Nuggets Live Stream: NBA Game Pass
Pelicans vs Nuggets Betting Lines
Pelicans vs Nuggets Picks and Prediction
The Nuggets beat the Pelicans earlier last week, and it looks like they should be able to do that again here. They’re favored in the sportsbook, but the number will fluctuate depending on who is in and who is out for New Orleans.
The Pelicans’ offense has completely disappeared of late, and if Ingram and/or McCollum are out, they’ll have a really tough time. They are just 9-16 on the road and are likely to fall to 9-17 after this. Lay the points with the Nuggets for your NBA picks.
Denver is listed at -270in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Nuggets, you have a chance to win $37. New Orleans is +220, offering a chance to win $220 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Pelicans a 72.97% chance to win, with the Nuggets at 31.25%.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Trends
Pelicans vs Nuggets Edge
Pelicans vs Nuggets Results
Pelicans vs Nuggets Game Summary
Nuggets vs Pelicans Previous Game (Jan. 24, 2023)
While both teams have crucial injuries listed, there is a much better chance that Jokić and Porter could come back. Jokić is listed day-to-day with a hamstring injury, while Porter missed the last game due to a personal issue, with his brother being involved in a fatal car accident. Ingram and Williamson have already been ruled out, which puts the Pelicans in a challenging situation with one the best teams in the NBA.
The game should not be a blowout, but the Nuggets should be able to win. They have been solid against the spread recently, 7-3 in their last 10.
