The New Orleans Pelicans (41-26) will be looking to consolidate their spot in the playoffs when they square off against the Brooklyn Nets (26-42) at Barclays Center, Brooklyn on Tuesday night.
After picking up six wins over their last seven, the Pelicans will be feeling confident about finding their third straight victory against a Nets team that has lost its last three in a row. Viewers can catch the action from 7:30 p.m. ET tonight.
Bet Rivers has New Orleans listed as 7.5-point favorites heading into the game, whilst the game total is currently set at O/U 215.5. Our best bet is available down below following our full game analysis!
Last Time Out
Forward Zion Williamson is on a tear up right now, and it’s his recent form that is helping the Pelicans in their surge towards the playoffs. He recorded a double-double in New Orleans’ most recent matchup, putting up 26 points and 10 rebounds in the 126-107 win at home to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Saturday’s comfortable triumph over the Blazers ensured that Willie Green’s men have picked up back-to-back wins, also beating the Los Angeles Clippers 112-104 last Friday, and their sixth in seven outings. That means the Pelicans are now two games ahead of the sixth-seeded Sacramento Kings in the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, the Nets are coming off a dismal six-game road trip where they went 1-5, claiming their sole win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (120-101). Sunday’s overtime loss to the 15-53 San Antonio Spurs - the worst team in the Western Conference - epitomized how things are going right now for Brooklyn. Play-in chances are looking slim.
The Nets will very much be welcoming a return to Barclays Center tonight where they have won three of their last four games. That includes back-to-back wins over the Atlanta Hawks, before beating the Philadelphia 76ers 112-107 in the final game before their road trip. Still, Brooklyn has one of the worst home records in the conference at 16-18.
Injuries & Team News
The primary concern for the visitors is that forward Herbert Jones is day-to-day due to a hip problem, however, he is considered probable. Guard Dyson Daniels (knee) has returned to full practice, but won’t be able to play.
As for the hosts, they will have both Ben Simmons and Dariq Whitehead sidelined due to long-term injuries, and the pair are expected to be out for the season. Dorian Finney-Smith is listed as questionable on the injury report due to an ankle issue.
Head-to-Head
It was a night to forget for Brooklyn in their last meeting with New Orleans as they suffered a blowout loss in Louisiana back in January. A team-high 16 points from CJ McCollum led a balanced performance by the Pelicans as they sealed a 112-85 win.
Betting Trends & Stats
Ranking around the middle of the pack in terms of points per game (ppg) on both offense and defense, the Pelicans are a well-rounded team. However, they have a slight lean defensively after allowing just the eighth-least ppg in the NBA (111.0). Over their last five games, that average has dropped to 105.0 ppg.
It looks as though the Nets will struggle to put up points tonight against a solid defense since they are averaging the sixth-lowest ppg on offense across the league (111.7). That average has dropped even lower of late, with Brooklyn putting up just 108.0 ppg over their past five matchups.
Looking at the against the spread (ATS) stats, the Pelicans also boast the third-best record in the NBA (38-28-1). They rank inside the top five ATS on the road too, covering in 59.4% of matchups. New Orleans has been respectable ATS as road favorites as well, going 9-8-0 with a 10.9 point differential. The Pelicans have covered the spread in six of their last seven matchups.
Conversely, the Nets have been one of the worst teams ATS in the league with a record of 29-36-3. However, they have covered well on their own court, covering in 58.1% of their games. Nevertheless, that drops to 47.1% when they are listed as home underdogs. They are also 1-5 ATS over their past six outings. Key Players
Two-time All-Star Williamson has been a major factor in the Pelicans’ recent run, and he has averaged 28.6 ppg over his last five. Brandon Ingram is also proving to be a very competent points scorer with his average of 21.2 ppg on the season. Jonas Valanciunas has been pivotal on defense, leading the team in defensive rebounds (6.8) and blocks (1.0).
Cam Thomas has been one of the very few positives for the Nets over their recent road trip, averaging 26.8 ppg over his last five outings. He even put up 31 points against the Spurs last time out, despite the loss. Center Nic Claxton leads the team in average rebounds (9.8) and blocks (2.1).
Best Bet
Brooklyn has been beaten pretty easily against much weaker opposition in the Spurs, the Charlotte Hornets and the Detroit Pistons of late. They should perform better in their return to Barclays Center, but it's been a struggle to find many positives about their basketball recently.
The Pelicans will be full of confidence, especially since they have won their last three successive road games too. They have been winning games relatively comfortably recently as well, and we are expecting that trend to continue tonight.
New Orleans Pelicans -7.5 (-110 with Bet Rivers)