Nuggets vs. Pelicans Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats & Best Bets – Thursday, March 30, 2023

CJ McCollum’s New Orleans Pelicans (38-38) will look to upset Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets when the Pelicans square off against the Nuggets on March 30, 2023. The line has the Nuggets favored by 5.5 points against the Pelicans. The game’s over/under is 226.5.

Nuggets vs. Pelicans Odds

• Nuggets odds to win: -222
• Pelicans odds to win: +184
• Spread: Nuggets (-5.5)
• Total: 226.5

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Game Time and Information

• When: Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 10:00 PM ET
• Where: Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado
• TV: TNT

Who Will Win Nuggets vs. Pelicans?

Nuggets and Pelicans Betting Trends, Records Against the Spread

In games this season they were favored by 5.5 points or more, the Nuggets have a 20-14-1 record against the spread.

The Pelicans have a 1-8 record against the spread in games they were an underdog by 5.5 points or more this year.

These two teams average 231.1 points per game combined, 4.6 more than the total of 226.5.

Opponents of the two teams average a combined 1.3 fewer points per game (225.2) than this matchup’s total of 226.5 points.

The Nuggets’ average total in outings this year has been 229.5, 3.0 points higher than the over/under in this particular game.

The average point total for New Orleans this year is 0.3 points higher than this game’s over/under.

Denver is 40-33-2 against the spread this season.

The Pelicans are 36-39-1 against the spread this season.

Nuggets Stats & Insights

The Nuggets average 116.8 points per game (ninth in the league) while giving up 112.7 per contest (10th in the NBA). They have a +312 scoring differential overall and outscore opponents by 4.1 points per game.

The Nuggets come out on top in the rebound battle by an average of 2.6 boards. They are grabbing 42.8 rebounds per game (19th in the league) compared to their opponents’ 40.2 per contest.

Denver makes 12.1 three-pointers per game (15th in the league) compared to its opponents’ 11.3. It shoots 38.9% from deep while its opponents hit 34.4% from long range.

The Nuggets rank first in the league by averaging 117.5 points per 100 possessions on offense, and defensively are 19th in the NBA, allowing 113.2 points per 100 possessions.

The Nuggets have been much better offensively at home, where they average 120.7 points per game, compared to on the road, where they average 112.8 per game. Defensively, they are much better in home games, where they surrender 110.1 points per game, versus road games, where they allow opponents to average 115.3 per game.

Pelicans Stats & Insights

The Pelicans have a +136 scoring differential, topping opponents by 1.8 points per game. They’re putting up 114.3 points per game, 15th in the league, and are allowing 112.5 per outing to rank seventh in the NBA.

New Orleans ranks 12th in the league at 43.7 rebounds per game. That’s 1.9 more than the 41.8 its opponents average.

The Pelicans make 11 three-pointers per game (22nd in the league) while shooting 36.2% from beyond the arc (15th in NBA). They are making 1.3 fewer threes than their opponents, who drain 12.3 per game at 34%.

The Pelicans rank 21st in the NBA with 111.6 points scored per 100 possessions, and fifth defensively with 109.8 points conceded per 100 possessions.

New Orleans is scoring more points at home (114.5 per game) than on the road (114.1).

Nuggets Key Players to Watch

The Nuggets get 24.9 points, 11.9 rebounds and 9.9 assists from Jokic.

Michael Porter Jr. makes more threes per game than any other (active) member of the Nuggets, knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of three per contest.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope averages 1.4 steals per game, while Aaron Gordon has 0.7 blocks per contest.

Pelicans Key Players to Watch

The Pelicans go-to guy, McCollum, leads active Pelicans players in both scoring (20.8 points per game) and assists (5.9 assists per game).

Jonas Valanciunas’ per-game averages this season are 14.3 points, 1.8 assists and 10.1 rebounds.

McCollum makes 2.8 treys per game.

The Pelicans’ defensive effort gets a lift from Herbert Jones (1.6 steals per game) and Valanciunas (0.6 blocks per game).

Nuggets vs. Pelicans Prediction

• Pick ATS: Nuggets (- 5.5)
• Pick OU:

  Over (226.5)
  

• Prediction:
  Nuggets 118 – Pelicans 110

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