Nets vs. Pelicans Predictions, Odds, Preview

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

6 minute read

Apr. 20, 2021

by Joe Williams
NBA Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Brooklyn Nets (38-19) take their show on the road to battle the New Orleans Pelicans (25-32) at Smoothie King Center at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday night in a nationally-televised game on TNT.

The Nets kicked off a three-game road trip on the wrong foot Sunday, falling 109-107 in Miami as five-point favorites as the Under (223.5) connected. The Pelicans are coming off a pair of overtime losses in Washington and New York on Friday and Sunday. They have dropped three in a row and they have failed to cover in each game, too.

Nets vs. Pelicans Betting Resources

Matchup: Eastern vs. Western Conference
Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
Venue: Smoothie King Center
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Date: Tuesday, Apr. 20, 2021
Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
TV: TNT
Bet: BetMGM | betrivers |FanDuel |bet365 |DraftKings |Best Sportsbooks

Betting Odds - Nets vs. Pelicans

Line Movements

Subject to Change

Spread: Pelicans -3.5
Money-Line: New Orleans -155, Brooklyn +130
Total: 231.5

The Pelicans are favorites on the road heading into the Crescent City, just like the first time they faced each other in Brooklyn. The Nets throttled the Pelicans 139-111 as 8.5-point favorites on April 7 at Barclays Center in the first meeting as the OVER (234) comfortably cashed.

Brooklyn has seen the OVER cash frequently lately, although the UNDER hit in its most recent game on the road, and the UNDER is 3-1 across the past four away from home.

For New Orleans, they're hoping for a better showing than the one they had on Long Island a couple of weeks ago. The Pellies are underdogs at home, and the last time they were in that situation on April 9, they beat Philadelphia outright as 5.5-point 'dogs, 101-94, as the UNDER hit.

The Pelicans return home after losing a pair of overtime games on the road against the Wizards and Knicks. (AP)

Nets vs. Pelicans Current Form-Last Game

Brooklyn has alternated wins and losses in each of the past six outings, going 4-2 ATS. They stumbled in Miami to kick off the three-game road trip, and they have dropped back-to-back games on the road, although they covered in Philadelphia in a six-point loss on April 14.

The Nets weren't bad against Miami, shooting 48% from the floor (39-of-82), and they hit 40% from behind the arc (17-of-43). Landry Shamet surprised with a career-high 30 points, including seven triples, which was good since Kyrie Irving struggled on a 6-of-19 shooting night, although he still ended up with 20 points, nine assists, two steals and two blocked shots.

Kevin Durant was limited to just four minutes in Miami, leaving with a left thigh contusion, and he has been ruled out for Tuesday. He will join Nicolas Claxton and Reggie Perry on the shelf, as they're sidelined due to the COVID health and safety protocols.

The Pelicans just haven't been able to get over the hump in two recent road games, falling at Washington and New York in overtime. They are 0-3 SU/ATS in the previous three, favored in each outing as the OVER hit in two of three.

Nets vs. Pelicans Head-to-Head

Apr. 7, 2021 - Nets 139 vs. Pelicans 111, Brooklyn -8.5, Over 234

In the first meeting, Brooklyn saw Irving and LaMarcus Aldridge each go for 20-plus points, as Irving paced the team with 24. Durant, who will not play, had 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench before fouling out. Claxton and Perry also came off the bench for a total of eight points, but they will not play, either.

The Pellies had five players in double digits in the first loss to the Nets, including 26 from Eric Bledsoe, who was 9-of-17 from the field with a pair of triples. Zion Williamson also went for 16 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals, although he was just 8-of-14 from the free-throw line. It was a forgettable night for James Johnson, too, as he misfired on 10 of his 12 field-goal attempts to wind up with just seven points.

(SU-Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread, OU - Over-Under)

Brooklyn Nets Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

Overall: 38-19 SU, 28-29 ATS, 34-23 OU
Road: 15-12 SU, 14-13 ATS, 17-10 OU

The Nets are favored for the third consecutive game, and they're just 4-12 ATS across the past 16 as a favorite. As a road favorite they have managed covers in just one of the past five.

Brooklyn is looking to avoid its third consecutive loss on the road for the first time since Jan. 31-Feb. 9 when they dropped road games in Washington, Philadelphia and Detroit, which isn't exactly a gauntlet.

The UNDER cashed in their most recent game against Miami, and we haven't seen consecutive UNDERs for the Nets since a 4-0 UNDER run from March 29-April 4.

New Orleans Pelicans Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

Overall: 25-32 SU, 25-32 ATS, 37-20 OU
Home: 16-14 SU, 14-16 ATS, 22-8 OU

The good news is that the Pelicans have only lost in regulation once in the past six games since their 139-111 thrashing in Brooklyn, but this isn't hockey, and an overtime loss counts the same as a regulation loss. There are no moral victories.

The last time the Pellies were at home they were taken down 116-106 by the New York Knicks, a team who also dropped them by 10 in overtime last time out at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. New Orleans has failed to cover in three consecutive outings, and they're 3-4 SU/ATS across the past seven games at home.

New Orleans has alternated OVER and UNDER results in each of the past nine games, including an OVER (234) result against Brooklyn in the first meet at Barclays Center on April 7 in a 139-111 loss. So is an UNDER coming in this one? These kind of alternating trends are rather circumstantial, and most serious bettors do not pay them much mind, but they're still worth noting nonetheless.

The Pelicans haven't lost four or more in a row since an 0-5 SU/1-4 ATS skid from Jan. 4-15.

Key Injuries

Brooklyn Nets

SF Kevin Durant: Thigh - Out
SG James Harden: Hamstring - Out
PF Nicolas Claxton: Quarantine - Out
PG Chris Chiozza: Hand - Out
SG Tyler Johnson: Knee - Out

New Orleans Pelicans

SG Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Ankle - Out
SG Josh Hart: Thumb - Out