NBA
New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets Odds, Tips and Prediction
The bottom seed in the West, the New Orleans Pelicans, are searching for form as they host the Denver Nuggets on December 22 for one of their festive matchups.
Yves Missi and Malik Monk//Getty Images
The bottom seed in the West, the New Orleans Pelicans, are searching for form as they host the Denver Nuggets on 22 December for one of their festive matchups. Both teams need a win, with the Pelicans at the bottom of the league and the Nuggets aiming to start a consistent run to put themselves back into NBA championship contention.
SportsBoom has you covered on all the finer details ahead of this game scheduled for 22 December.
Compare the best NBA sportsbooks to find the most competitive odds and bonuses for this matchup.
Match Details: New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets
Date: Friday 20th December
Start time: 6 pm local time (midnight BST)
Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
Last meeting: November 15, 2024, New Orleans 101-94 Denver Nuggets
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: Nuggets Heavy Favourites
New Orleans Pelicans: 16/5 (4.20) – 23,8%
Denver Nuggets: 1/4 (1.25) – 80%
*Forecast Odds – Betting available on 1Win closer to the event
Head-to-Head Record
Quite remarkably, the New Orleans Pelicans and the Denver Nuggets have previously met only 76 times in the regular season. This rivalry is quite close in terms of wins, too, but the Nuggets edge it with 43 victories compared to the Pelicans’ 33.
In the previous five meetings, both teams shared the spoils on each occasion, and the Pelicans won the two preceding meetings on their home patch. In this five-game stretch, only one was won by more than two possessions, with the highest points difference being 19 points.
Last Five Matches:
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/25 Season | November 15, 2024 | New Orleans Pelicans 101-94 Denver Nuggets |
| 2023/24 Season | January 12, 2024 | Denver Nuggets 125-113 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2023/24 Season | November 17, 2023 | New Orleans Pelicans 115-110 Denver Nuggets |
| 2023/24 Season | November 6, 2023 | Denver Nuggets 134-116 New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2022/23 Season | March 30, 2023 | New Orleans Pelicans 107-88 Denver Nuggets |
How is the season so far for both teams?
New Orleans Pelicans
- Record: 5-21
- Home Form: 4-9
- Road Form: 1-12
The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves at the bottom of the classification charts in the Western Conference with a disappointing 5-21 record. The Pelicans’ four wins arrived at their home arena at the Smoothie King Center, with only one win on the road.
Louisiana’s team has had an injury-riddled campaign, including their star player Zion Williamson, but there is no timeline for his potential return to the roster. In his absence, 27-year-old Brandon Ingram has stepped up to deliver an average of 22.2 points per game, along with 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. However, his season has been short-lived due to an ankle injury.
Their 2024 first-round pick, Yves Missi, has had to step up with the numerous injuries that have arrived. The 20-year-old produced an impressive game against the San Antonio Spurs a few weeks prior as he scored 18 points and posted 14 rebounds, a performance that shows his potential in retrieving crucial possessions for the team.
Heading into this fixture, their leading active points scorer who isn’t on the sidelines due to injury is CJ McCollum. He has only played in 50% of the games, but the 33-year-old veteran is posting his best points per game since trading in the 2021-2022 season. The shooting guard has recorded 21.5 points per game but delivered his recent high of 36 points against the Sacramento Kings in previous weeks.
Denver Nuggets
- Record: 13-10
- Home Form: 7-4
- Road Form: 6-6
The Denver Nuggets have had a mixed 2024/25 NBA season campaign as the Colorado team occupies sixth spot in the West. The team has struggled on the road, and as of now, they have a 0.500 record but have only won seven games out of a possible eleven on home turf.
However, one man within the Nuggets’ roster is posting numbers to a new level. Their star man, Nikola Jokic, who has previously won Most Valuable Player three times and won NBA Finals MVP, has found another gear.
The Serbian giant is second in the NBA in points per game, rebounds, and assists. In two previous games earlier in the month, when the Nuggets faced the Washington Wizards and Atlanta Hawks back-to-back, he scored 56 and 48 points, grabbed 14 and 16 rebounds, and assisted his teammates eight times. Considering his all-around game, these catastrophic numbers and efficiency have met with little reward.
Value Bets
Nikola Jokic: Over 30 Points, Over 10 Rebounds and Over 5 Assists: The Serbian man mountain will be up for this game due to the form of the Pelicans. With big stars missing, the world anticipates Jokic to deliver a strong performance. His effortless performances are typical occurrences and has become the ordinary. Regardless of the Pelicans’ injuries, the difference Jokic makes when he’s on the court will help the team to victory. SportsBoom predict Jokic to be the focus of attention for this one considering his seasonal averages.
Nikola Jokic//Getty Images
Yves Missi: Over 10 Rebounds: Despite averaging 8.3 rebounds in the 19 matches he has started so far this season; he has stepped up in recent matches and has had a truly successful month. He has posted above ten rebounds in six of his last nine games, delivering his highest of 14 against the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies. Don’t discount the young rookie from giving his all in trying to limit Jokic’s time on the ball.
Prediction: Denver Nuggets to Win
Despite the narrow head-to-head record favouring the New Orleans Pelicans, SportsBoom predict a win for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets arrive at the Christmas period with their most valued player in red-hot form who will look to exploit their injury-ridden opponents. The Pelicans are now unlikely to match their 49-game winning season from the previous year and play-offs look out of the question.
Henry Cheal is a versatile freelance sports journalist with extensive experience in the industry. Henry has previously worked at the 2024 World Snooker Championship and earned a Multimedia Sports Journalism degree from UCFB in 2023.