NBA New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Preview and Prediction

Date/Time: 10-29-2018, 21:00 EDT

Spread: Denver Nuggets -6.5

Total: +232.5

In this all-Western showdown, we have a battle between the second and third-best squads of the conference, as the Denver Nuggets are hosting the team with the best offense in the league, the New Orleans Pelicans, with both teams having identical records and looking to return to the ways tonight.

Pelicans are also 4-1 so far in the league and are tied with tonight’s opponent Denver in the second place of the Western Conference. In their latest matchup they saw a 4-game victory streak end by losing at home against Utah, 111-132. Nuggets are 4-1 so far in the league and are tied with tonight’s opponent New Orleans in the second place of the Western Conference. In their latest matchup they saw a 4-game victory streak end with a road defeat by the LA Lakers, 114-121.

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New Orleans are led in scoring by Anthony Davis with 27.2 ppg. He also adds 4.8 assists and leads the team in rebounding with 13.2 per game, while Nikola Mirotic follows with 23.8 ppg, adding 9.4 rebounds per game. Denver are led in scoring by Nikola Jokic with 23.4 ppg. He also leads the team both in rebounding with 10.6 and in assists made with 6.2, while Gary Harris follows with 19.4 ppg, adding 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Those two teams met three times last year, with Denver leading 2-1 wins and winning both home games by an average of 19 points. Denver are 3-0 at home so far, while New Orleans are 1-0 on the road. New Orleans are better offensively, scoring a league-best of 124.8 ppg to Denver’s 113.2, while Denver have a better defense, allowing 104 ppg to New Orleans’ 119.4. New Orleans have a better accuracy both from the field, shooting with 48.4% to Denver’s 46.3% and from behind the arc, shooting with 36.5% to New Orleans’ 29.2%. Denver are better in rebounding (50 to 48), while New Orleans commit fewer turnovers (12.6 to 15) and dish more assists per game (27.6 to 24.4). Expect a close game in this high-caliber duel so pick the New Orleans for a closer game than 7 points tonight.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Prediction: New Orleans Pelicans +6.5 (-108)