Pelicans vs Nuggets Odds, Spread & Predictions (March 30)
- Denver is laying seven points in the Pelicans vs Nuggets odds on Thursday
- Nikola Jokic (calf) is listed as questionable
- Check out the latest Pelicans vs Nuggets odds here, plus injury news and predictions
As Denver closes in on securing the West’s top seed, the Nuggets (51-24, 32-6 home) recent stretch proves they are very ready for playoff basketball. Denver enters play on Thursday versus the Pelicans (38-38, 14-25 away) riding a four-game winning streak, with victories over three of the East’s top-six teams during that stretch.
Online sportsbooks expect another Nuggets win over New Orleans, as Denver is the heavy chalk in the NBA odds.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Pelicans | +7 (-110) | +240 | OFF |
| Denver Nuggets | -7 (-110) | -285 | OFF |
The Nuggets are currently favored by 7 points, in a contest without a total as of Wednesday evening. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 pm ET at Ball Arena in Denver, CO, and will mark the fourth and final meeting between these two squads this season.
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Odds as of March 29 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Injury Report
It’s possible Denver will have to try and extend their winning streak without Nikola Jokic. The two-time reigning NBA MVP odds champion is dealing with a calf issue, and is currently listed as questionable.
Jokic is currently in the midst of another tremendous campaign, recently becoming only the third player in league history to record 10+ games with 20+ points, 15+ rebounds and 10+ assists in a single season. He is near the top of the board in nearly every single offensive category, and just hung a 25 point, 17 rebound, 12 assist triple-double on the 76ers.
NBA INJURY ALERT: Nuggets C Nikola Jokic (calf) is questionable for Thursday's game vs. the Pelicans. pic.twitter.com/DBZnQhCrSr
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) March 29, 2023
Of course there’s a chance Denver is just trolling everyone with Jokic’s injury designation. It’s the same “ailment” that kept Joel Embiid out of the Sixers-Nuggets contest on Monday, in what was supposed to be a battle of the league’s top-two MVP candidates.
Elsewhere on the injury front, the Pelicans will be without Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Jose Alvarado (knee). Williamson has only played in 29 games this season, and hasn’t suited up since January 2nd. He was cleared for contact last week, and could potentially be ready for the Play-In Tournament if New Orleans can get in.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Betting Trends
The Pelicans currently occupy the West’s eight seed in the NBA playoff bracket, but are only one game clear of 11th place Dallas with six contests remaining.
New Orleans ended February and began March with a dismal 3-9 run, but have since turned things around. They’re 5-1 in their last six games, posting five double-digit victories. Brandon Ingram has scored at least 25 points in seven straight, while Jonas Valanciunas has been an animal on the glass. Valanciunas has double-digit rebound totals in six of the past seven games, averaging 17.6 boards per outing.
Brandon Ingram’s last 7 games:
31 Points – 6 Assists – 4 Rebounds
26 Points – 9 Assists – 2 Rebounds
32 Points – 7 Assists – 4 Rebounds
30 Points – 10 Assists – 11 Rebounds
32 Points – 13 Assists – 4 Rebounds
29 Points – 4 Assists – 6 Rebounds
26 Points – 7 Assists – 8 Rebounds pic.twitter.com/0bnz1C88Up— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 29, 2023
The Pelicans have been one of the NBA’s top teams over the last six games, ranking seventh in offensive rating and first in defensive rating.
Not to be outdone, Denver is right there with them. The Nuggets are the league’s number one team in offensive rating this season, and rank fourth in Net rating over the last six outings. Jokic is obviously a huge reason why, and if he doesn’t play Denver could be on upset alert.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Predictions
The Nuggets have dropped each of their past three outings that Jokic has sat, and are 3-5 without him this season. They average a whopping 11 points less per contest when he sits, and have failed to clear 100 points in each of the last three games he’s missed.
NBA Net Rating Ranks – Last 6 Games
| Team | Rank |
|---|---|
| New Orleans Pelicans | 1 |
| Boston Celtics | 2 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 3 |
| Denver Nuggets | 4 |
| Toronto Raptors | 5 |
If he sits, backing New Orleans is the play, but even if he suits up the Pelicans form is strong enough to warrant taking the points with them. New Orleans has beaten the spread in five of six, and is 2-1 ATS versus the Nuggets this season.
Pick: New Orleans Pelicans +7 (-110)
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As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
