Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Preview
If there is an NBA game we would want to watch, that would be the one between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Portland Trail Blazers. These two sides play extremely offensive-minded basketball, sometimes completely neglecting the defensive duties. But due to such an approach, we often see highlight-reel moments once one of these two teams appears on the court.
The Pelicans are outside the playoff zone at the moment, and they need to win this one badly. Portland is sixth in the West, but with the competition breathing down their neck. These circumstances will most definitely spice up Tuesday’s matchup.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Schedule
- Where: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
- When: Tuesday, Match 16, 9pm ET
- How to Watch: TNT
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Odds
| Team | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Pelicans | +2.5 | 238.5 |
| Trail Blazers | -2.5 | 238.5 |
Last Call for the Pels to Straighten Up
Right now, the Pels are 12th in the West with 17 wins and 22 defeats and are four games behind the Dallas Mavs, who are occupying No.8 in the conference. So, to be perfectly straight, if New Orleans doesn’t improve its performances, this will be one more year without the playoffs.
Following a devastating loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Stan Van Gundy’s crew posted two wins in a row, one against the pale Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-82, and another against the title candidates, LA Clippers 135-115, blowing away Kawhi and the boys.
Ziona scored 27 buckets, missing three of his 16 shots, Ingram added 23, while Lonzo Ball finished the night with 20 points and eight boards. Jaxson Hayes’ performance off the bench had to be mentioned, with the athletic center scoring 17 points, shooting perfectly, 6-for-6 from the field, and 5-for-5 from the foul line.
Start of Portland’s Five-Game Homestand
The Trail Blazers will play the next five games at home. Terry Stotts’ side has two back-to-back packages, the first one being against the Pelicans, and after that vs. Dallas Mavericks, before hosting the Brooklyn Nets at the end of this stretch.
Portland still has numerous problems with injuries, as CJ McCollum, and Jusuf Nurkic won’t appear on the court for quite some time. But, when you have Damian Lillard, things are much easier. He is the No.2 scorer in the NBA with 29.9 points, assisting 7.9 assists and 4.4 boards.
However, his 38 points weren’t enough to defeat the Timberwolves in their second of back-to-back events this Sunday. Minnesota won the clash, 114-112, making a surprise, we might say. Gary Trent scored 21 points, Robert Covington had 19, while Carmelo recorded 16 off the bench.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Head to Head Matches
Portland was victorious in the first and the only meeting this season, 126-124. Lillard had 43 points, while Zion scored 36 on the other end.
Pelicans vs Trail Blazers Prediction and Pick
We predict a very efficient match here, as mentioned already in the first paragraph. The first one saw 250 points, and Tuesday’s one has a much lower limit, 238.5. With gunslingers on both sides, this line shouldn’t be a big problem to jump over, and that would be our recommended pick.
Pick: Over 238.5 points
