Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet: Can the Pels Keep Soaring in Denver?
Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans Best Bet: Can the Pels Keep Soaring in Denver?
- When: 8:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: League Pass
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Nuggets vs. Pelicans Line Movement
Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Pelicans Prediction
Since the All-Star break, the Pelicans and Nuggets are two of the three best teams in the NBA.
In New Orleans, the news still resolves around when Zion Williamson will make his long-awaited return (the answer, as usual: TBD), but the team on the court deserves to be getting noticed. In the four games since the break, they've beaten the Suns, Lakers, Kings, and Jazz by a combined 112 points. Going back even further, they're 9-4 with the second-highest scoring margin in basketball bolstered by both a top-four offense and defense.
How are they doing it? By eschewing traditional norms with a starting lineup that makes sense for them. No traditional point guard? No problem. Between Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, they have more than enough ball-handling to make up for it. Two centers? The more, the merrier! Jonas Valanciunas and Jaxson Hayes have been manning the four and the five, with rookie Herb Jones thrown in to give the Pels the most massive two through five grouping in the NBA.
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The effectiveness of that size will be tested today against the Nuggets, who are 4-1 since the break and winners of nine of their last 11. As impressive as that sounds, they've been scuffling their way through it a bit. All but one of their last seven games have come against bottom-eight teams, and the one exception was a one-point win over the Warriors, who have been struggling (for them) in their own right. Despite the easy slate, the Nuggets are just 4-3 ATS.
This one should be close, but it's notable that Denver is 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games in which they were dogs or favored by six points or fewer. That includes the last time these two teams played when the Pelicans won by eight a month ago. Take the points on the road.
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Denver Nuggets Pick
- Pelicans +4 (-110) (Bet $110 to Win $100)
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Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks Prediction
When: 10:00 pm ET
Where to Watch: ESPN
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Clippers vs. Knicks Line Movement
Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks Prediction
As is sometimes the case, the Knicks threw us off their scent on Friday night, when they covered against the short-handed Suns, but of course, wound up collapsing late after having a 14-point lead. It was their first covered spread in nearly a month, but the outright loss was also their 17th in their last 20 games. They have just three wins since January 15.
Most concerning was how they did it. New York has risen and fallen all season based on their shooting, and until Friday, were 9-0 when hitting at least 44 percent from deep. Against the Suns though, they hit 44.8 percent of their 29 attempts from long range and still lost - a terrible sign for a team that rarely puts two good shooting games together.
Worse yet, they're playing a team with the longest winning streak in basketball, winner of five straight and victors in six of their last seven, both outright and against the spread. LA is the opposite of the Knicks: they don't beat themselves and make the most of their talent.
Don't overthink this one on a spread that's smaller than it should be. Give the points at home.
Los Angeles Clippers vs. New York Knicks Pick
- Clippers -4.5 (-110) (Bet $110 to Win $100)