Pelicans vs. Nuggets prediction and odds for Monday, Nov. 6 (Back Denver at home)
By Jovan Alford
Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans will try to stay perfect on the road as they head to the Mile High City tonight to play Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
The Pelicans had their two-game winning streak snapped over the weekend as they lost to the Atlanta Hawks 123-105. As for the Nuggets, they have four out of their last five games, including their 22-point win at home over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.
Can Williamson and Brandon Ingram hand the Nuggets their first loss at home this season? Or will the defending NBA champs dismantle another team at Ball Arena?
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Pelicans vs. Nuggets odds, spread and total
Pelicans vs. Nuggets how to watch
- Date: Monday, Nov. 6
- Game Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
- Venue: Ball Arena
- How to Watch (TV): NBA League Pass
- Pelicans Record: 4-2
- Nuggets Record: 6-1
Pelicans vs. Nuggets injury reports
New Orleans Pelicans injury report
- Jose Alvarado (out, ankle)
- Naji Marshall (out, knee)
- CJ McCollum (out, lung)
- Trey Murphy (out, knee)
Denver Nuggets injury report
- Vlatko Cancar (out, knee)
- Jamal Murray (out, hamstring)
Pelicans vs. Nuggets key players to watch
New Orleans Pelicans
Brandon Ingram: With CJ McCollum out for the foreseeable future, the Pelicans need Ingram to lead the way offensively. The 26-year-old forward is producing 20.3 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game. Ingram is coming off a solid performance against the Hawks, where he had 16 points (6-10 FG, 1-3 3pt), seven rebounds, and three assists.
It won’t be easy to make up for the loss of McCollum, but Ingram has shown the ability to score at will but also get others involved on offense.
Jonas Valanciunas: The veteran center gets lost in the shuffle due to the Pelicans having Williamson and Brandon Ingram. However, for New Orleans to grab the win, Valanciunas will have to be a scoring threat but also play his best defense against Jokic.
This season, the 31-year-old is producing 13.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The veteran big man is coming off a disappointing performance against the Hawks, where he had six points and seven rebounds. That stat line will not cut it against the former two-time MVP, who can beat teams in multiple ways.
Denver Nuggets
Michael Porter Jr.: The 25-year-old Porter Jr. has played well to start this season, which is what Nuggets’ fans want to see after his so-so performance in the NBA Finals.
Porter is currently third on the team in scoring (15.3 points per game) and second in cleaning the glass (7.9 rebounds per game). The veteran small forward is shooting 46% from the field and 38% from deep (7.1 attempts per game). Porter has scored 20 or more points in two straight games heading into tonight’s matchup against the Pelicans.
Reggie Jackson: Jackson will likely enter the starting lineup tonight, with Murray hampered by a hamstring injury. Jackson played well in relief of Murray on Saturday night, scoring 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-5 from deep in 25 minutes off the bench.
This season, the veteran point guard is recording 8.4 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game. Jokic will handle most of the point guard duties tonight, leaving Jackson to provide some scoring.
Pelicans vs. Nuggets prediction and pick
The Pelicans have been crushed by the injury bug early this season, and it didn’t get better with McCollum now out with a collapsed lung.
If New Orleans were playing any other team than Denver, I’d give them a good chance to cover the spread. However, it will be tough to replace McCollum’s 21.7 points per game. At the same time, the Nuggets don’t have Murray, but I trust the Nuggets’ supporting cast to fill in where they need to. The Pelicans are 2-0 against the spread as a road underdog, but the Nuggets are 3-1 ATS as home favorites.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change