Pelicans look for statement win vs. Nets: Odds, best bets

The New Orleans Pelicans are clawing their way up the standings, now just a half game back of the final play-in spot after winning two in a row.

There are plenty of signs this is not like Pels teams of the past, as they are playing with consistent effort under coach Willie Green and getting it done with young guys up and down the lineup.

The Pelicans are building their identity around defense, and the choice of Herbert Jones in the second-round of last year’s draft is now looking like a stroke of genius.

Jones has given the Pelicans the Draymond Green-like defender that they have always lacked and he’s been a big part of their recent surge along with Brandon Ingram, who is playing like an All-Star.

Tonight they go up against the mighty Brooklyn Nets, who are coming off a blowout loss to the OKC Thunder in which Kevin Durant took a night off. He’ll be back in the lineup tonight, so the Pelicans will have their hands full, as there is no way the Nets want to lose two in a row to teams with losing records.

However, they will be missing LaMarcus Aldridge (foot), Joe Harris (ankle) and Kyrie Irving (stubbornness), so the Pelicans stand a fighting chance.

While the Pels have been slowly building a home court advantage, they are just 6-15 on the road, so a win over the Nets would be a big statement from this young team.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Brooklyn Nets: Odds, spread, over/under

According to WynnBET, the New Orleans Pelicans are six point underdogs on the road tonight against the Nets, a testament to their recent play, as this spread would have been much larger earlier in the season.

The money lines are set at +210 for the Pels and -260 for the Pelicans. With the point spread so low, you may as well bet the Pelicans to win outright if you like their chances, as you will get much better odds.

The over/under is 228 combined points, which seems awfully high to me, but the books are counting on the Nets having a big night at home.

As well as the Pels have been playing, it’s hard to recommend betting them to win this one given their road woes this season, but I do like the under in this one, as the two teams combine for just 217 points on average for the season and allow 219, so 228 seems a tad high.

As for daily fantasy, Brandon Ingram has been filling the stat sheet all season and can be a foundational player every night for your team.

I would also keep riding Josh Hart, who keeps having big nights and almost always has enough rebounds and assists to offset the occasional poor night shooting.

How to watch Pelicans vs. Nets

The game tonight has a weird tip-off time of 6:30 PM CT and you can watch it on Bally Sports New Orleans or listen on ESPN 100.3 FM.