After weeks on the shelf with an injury to his big toe, Brandon Ingram is set to return to the floor for the New Orleans Pelicans as they restart their race up the Western Conference standings.
With Ingram on the sidelines, and more recently Zion Williamson, the Pelicans have dropped five straight and eight of 10 games, falling off the pace in the West. However, we have seen the high ceiling of this team and they are set to take off with Ingram back and Williamson a few weeks away.
Can the Pellies get enough of a boost to take out a surging Timberwolves team?
Let’s check out the odds for Wednesday’s matchup:
Timberwolves vs. Pelicans odds, spread and total
Timberwolves vs. Pelicans prediction and pick
It’s worth noting the Pelicans played the Nuggets on Tuesday night so this is the second night of a back-to-back, but I believe that’s offset with the return of Ingram.
They will face a Timberwolves team that is back in the mix in the West after a slow start to the season, but they are coming off a loss to one of the worst teams in the league, the Rockets. The team is ninth in the West, but two-and-a-half games behind the Pelicans in fourth.
New Orleans has struggled mightily on offense lately. They’re dead last in points per 100 possessions over the last two weeks as the loss of both Ingram and Williamson has taken its toll. However, reinforcements are on the way and I like New Orleans to get back on track on Wednesday. The defense has remained strong, league average over the last two weeks, per Cleaning the Glass.
The Pelicans are +9.2 with Ingram on the floor this season, 95th percentile. The leap is massive for this team and I expect they get and done and cover the small spread.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.