The Los Angeles Lakers head east to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, November 14.
L.A. was embarrassed by the first-place Thunder last time out, losing by 29 and dropping to 1-2 on their current five-game road trip.
Fortunately, the Lakers are in a city that has been the "Big Easy" for Pelicans foes this year. New Orleans is 1-3 at home and will be without two of its three leading scorers.
That's why my Lakers vs. Pelicans predictions and NBA picks call for Los Angeles to cover the double-digit spread on the road.
Want to make sure Covers shows up often in your Google search results and Discover feed?
Simply click here and add Covers as one of your "source preferences".
Lakers vs Pelicans prediction
Lakers vs Pelicans best bet: Lakers -10 (-105)
At first glance, it seems like a lot of points for a West Coast team to be giving up in a road game halfway across the country. However, several factors are working in the Los Angeles Lakers' favor.
The New Orleans Pelicans are 2-9 on the season, and their only wins have come against 3-9 Dallas and 4-7 Charlotte at home. New Orleans is just 2-2 against double-digit spreads this year and 3-3-1 against spreads of eight points or higher (all as the underdog).
The Lakers are 7-3-0 ATS in the last 10 and have covered their only game when favored by eight or more—two games ago at Charlotte.
Los Angeles hit the road on a five-game winning streak but the win over the Hornets is all the Lakers have to show for their current trip. They were upset at Atlanta and blown out by OKC.
The Thunder took away the Lakers' top two players. Luka Doncic was held to a season-low 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting. Austin Reeves scored just 13, eight points less than his season low heading into the game. He made just four of his 12 attempts.
The Lakers shouldn't have to worry about a similar defensive showing from the Pelicans. New Orleans ranks 29th in the 30-team league in defensive rating and is not much better—26th—in offense.
Zion Williamson, who leads the team in scoring (22.8 points per game), assists (4.6), steals (2.0), and is tied for the lead in rebounding (6.8), will miss his sixth straight game with a left hamstring strain. Jordan Poole, third on the team in scoring at 17.8 ppg, will miss his fifth straight game with a left quad strain.
The Pelicans lack the firepower to match the Lakers and also struggle with defensive prowess to slow L.A. down. Look for Los Angeles to make a big comeback win.
Lakers vs Pelicans same-game parlay
The Lakers and Pelicans both play at among the slower paces in the league. L.A. is ranked 20th in terms of pace, while New Orleans is ranked 28th.
However, when the Lakers are rolling, they play at a fast pace. Los Angeles has gone over in six of their last seven wins (both straight-up and ATS). Even without Williamson and Poole, New Orleans is a coin toss on the total. They've gone over twice and under twice in the last four.
With Poole and Williamson out, Jeremiah Fears has seen his minutes increase by two per game and his shots rise by 1.5. He's averaging 14 points per game for the season and has topped 14.5 in each of the last three games.
Lakers vs Pelicans SGP
- Lakers -10
- Jeremiah Fears Over 14.5 points
- Over 227
Our "from downtown" SGP: Murphy's Law!
The odds seem like a trap on this one. Trey Murphy III has also seen his minutes and shots go up with New Orleans' recent injury woes. He's averaging 6.8 rebounds, which ties Zion for the team lead.
Murphy went under 5.5 rebounds against Charlotte last game, but before that, he had 10, nine, and nine. It seems like a much surer prospect than the odds it's given, which makes it a bargain to add to our parlay.
Lakers vs Pelicans SGP
- Lakers -10
- Jeremiah Fears Over 14.5 points
- Over 227
- Trey Murphy Over 5.5 rebounds
Lakers vs Pelicans odds
- Spread: Lakers -10.5 (-105) | Pelicans +10.5 (-115)
- Moneyline: Lakers -450 | Pelicans +340
- Over/Under: Over 229.5 (-110) | Under 229.5 (-110)
Lakers vs Pelicans betting trend to know
The Pelicans have only hit the moneyline in 19 of their last 80 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Lakers vs. Pelicans.
How to watch Lakers vs Pelicans
| Location | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA |
| Date | Friday, November 14, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | Spectrum SportsNet, GCSEN |
Lakers vs Pelicans latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
