It may be too early in the NBA season to declare a worst team in the league, and the Eastern Conference’s cellar certainly makes a strong claim, but do not rule out the New Orleans Pelicans. Well, rule them out tonight, as in, rule out any chance of New Orleans competing against the Denver Nuggets, quite possibly the second-best team in the league.
My Nuggets vs. Pelicans predictions and NBA picks expect an early blowout after tip at 8 ET on Wednesday, November 19.
Nuggets vs Pelicans prediction
Nuggets vs Pelicans best bet: Nuggets 1Q -4.5 (-110)
The usual worry about betting a first-quarter spread is that the small sample size could expose the value bet to compromising variance. But when a team is as bad as the New Orleans Pelicans, that worry is diminished.
Furthermore, betting on the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter has long assured time with Nikola Jokic at full throttle. Denver has more depth this year and is better surviving the dreaded non-Jokic minutes, but the best faith in the Nuggets still comes when knowing Jokic will be on the court. Like in the first quarter.
New Orleans is 0-6 against the spread in its last six opening quarters. In those first halves, the Pelicans are just 1-5 ATS, and then in those games, they are 2-3-1 ATS, losing all six outright. It is clear, when opponents need to focus, New Orleans is just too drastically overmatched.
That has long been the case for most opponents against Denver. Jokic is just too good.
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Nuggets vs Pelicans same-game parlay
New Orleans is 1-5 ATS in its last six first halves, a disaster of a team that is most vulnerable when opponents still care enough to play their genuine rotations. But this should eventually turn into a blowout, allowing Nikola Jokic to find the bench earlier than usual.
Nuggets vs Pelicans SGP
- Nuggets 1Q -4.5
- Nuggets 1H -8.5
- Nikola Jokic Under 29.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: Jokic takes it easy on Pels
Yes, Denver had last night off, and yes, the Nuggets may want to get right after losing to Chicago on Monday. But Jokic eased off the workload in four straight blowouts ending last week, falling short of this rebounding prop in two of them as a result. The Nuggets know to pace Jokic as much as possible, and this is a ripe chance. He has already fallen short of this rebounding prop in four of eight games this month, a clear indication that any reduced workload should cost it again.
Nuggets vs Pelicans SGP
- Nuggets 1Q -4.5
- Nuggets 1H -8.5
- Nikola Jokic Under 29.5 Points
- Nikola Jokic Under 12.5 Rebounds
Nuggets vs Pelicans odds
- Spread: Nuggets -14 | Pelicans +14
- Moneyline: Nuggets -950 | Pelicans +625
- Over/Under: Over 234 | Under 234
Nuggets vs Pelicans betting trend to know
Denver lost both outright and as a favorite on Monday, but before that, the Nuggets had won six straight games against the spread. Find more NBA betting trends for Nuggets vs. Pelicans.
How to watch Nuggets vs Pelicans
| Location | Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA |
| Date | Wednesday, November 19, 2025 |
| Tip-off | 8:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ALT, GCSEN |
Nuggets vs Pelicans latest injuries
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