The New Orleans Pelicans (0-2) and Denver Nuggets (0-1) will square off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET from Ball Arena in Denver, Colo. The game will broadcast live on ALT.
The Nuggets are 11.5-point favorites over the Pelicans on the spread, with the over/under set at 239.5 total points. The Nuggets are -500 moneyline favorites to win outright, while the Pelicans are listed as +375 underdogs to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Pelicans vs. Nuggets predictions and NBA picks for Saturday, October 24.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Prediction, Pick
- Pelicans vs Nuggets pick: Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 Rebounds (-120, FanDuel)
My Pelicans vs. Nuggets best bet is on Nikola Jokic to go over his rebounds total, with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
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Pelicans vs Nuggets Odds
- Pelicans vs Nuggets spread: Nuggets -11.5 (-105), Pelicans +11.5 (-115)
- Pelicans vs Nuggets over/under: 239.5 (-115o / -108u)
- Pelicans vs Nuggets moneyline: Pelicans +375, Nuggets -500
Pelicans vs Nuggets NBA Preview
The Denver Nuggets face off against the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, and they are going to be highly motivated to bounce back from that incredibly tough loss to OKC in their opener.
I am looking right at Nikola Jokic to completely dominate the glass in this game.
The Pelicans are operating on the second night of a back-to-back, which inherently means they are going to be battling tired legs against a Denver team desperate to stabilize.
More importantly, New Orleans' frontcourt depth is suddenly a massive question mark. Yves Missi left their last game with a lower-body injury, and we will have to wait and see if he can even go tonight. If he can’t, this further helps Jokic feast on the interior against an undersized rotation.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Pick, Betting Analysis
This is an excellent situational spot where I fully expect Jokic to impose his will simply due to his sheer size and positioning.
Just look at what happened the other day: this exact same Pelicans frontcourt gave up 15 boards to Ivica Zubac. Jokic is an infinitely more punishing assignment down low.
When you couple New Orleans' lack of reliable size with the heavy legs that come from playing a back-to-back, it sets up as a prime opportunity for Jokic to clean the glass tonight.
Pelicans vs Nuggets Best Bet
- Nikola Jokic Over 12.5 Rebounds (-120, FanDuel)
