Pelicans vs 76ers Picks and Predictions: Pels Answer Bell in Philly

The New Orleans Pelicans will look to start a new win streak when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Monday night.

The Pelicans had won five in a row prior to Saturday’s 116-101 loss to the Grizzlies, including a 127-116 triumph over Philadelphia on Friday night. The Sixers snapped a two-game losing skid with a 115-96 victory over the Thunder on Saturday, in which they rested several of their regular starters. 

Which team will start the new year off on the right foot? Find out in our free NBA picks and predictions for Pelicans vs 76ers below.

Pelicans vs 76ers best odds

Pelicans vs 76ers picks and predictions

When these two teams met at Smoothie King Center just a few nights ago, the New Orleans Pelicans pulled off a slight ATS upset with a 127-116 straight-up decision.

I’m not saying that this game will follow the same exact script as Friday’s, especially with the change in venue to consider, but the end result for bettors should be the same with the Pelicans’ side prevailing.

New Orleans started their five-game win streak without superstar Zion Williamson and relied on various players to pick up the slack. CJ McCollum dropped 40 points to beat the Spurs before Trey Murphy III uncorked a 23-point night to help down the Thunder. Then it was the unsung Neji Marshall who scored a season-high 22 points to conquer the Pacers before Williamson returned to the lineup. 

Williamson came back in a big way by dropping 43 and 36, respectively, against the Timberwolves and Sixers. Williamson led his team with 20 points in a defeat to Memphis last time out.

Another way the Pelicans can frustrate Philly is on the glass. New Orleans takes in the sixth-most rebounds in the NBA (45.2 per game), with Jonas Valanciunas (9.3 rebounds per game) and Zion (7.0 rebounds per game) doing most of the dirty work. The former was able to out-board Joel Embiid 9-8 when these teams last faced off – not an easy task. 

Aside from when Embiid is on the floor, Philly usually finds it difficult to clean the class, as they rank 27th in the NBA in rebounds per game (40.5). 

New Orleans may have lost their latest tilt on Saturday, but they were still true to their brand, as six different players reached double-digit points. Doc Rivers’ defense can’t simply zero in on Williamson, and teams like this typically don’t go quietly, even on the road. Take the points with the Pelicans.

My best bet: Pelicans +3.5 (-115 at BetMGM)

Pelicans vs 76ers spread analysis

A quick dive into the advanced stats reveals that the Pelicans should not be taken lightly in this spot.

New Orleans comes into this contest ranked third in the NBA in net rating, which is an estimate of a team’s point differential per 100 possessions, at +4.8. That’s a full point better than this much more celebrated Sixers squad.

The difference in defensive rating between these two clubs is scant, with Philly ranking third at 109.7, and the Pelicans in fifth at 110.6. But the quick handicapper would only see the much more dramatic difference between these two teams in points allowed per game, with the Sixers in second at 108.2, and the Pels in 15th at 112.8. 

New Orleans also has Philly beat via the simple rating system, which takes into account a team’s point differential and strength of schedule. The Pelicans are third in the NBA in this area at 4.64, while the Sixers are sixth at 3.35. 

These numbers bear out that the Pels’ 23-13 start to the season is for real, and that the 76ers aren’t necessarily the better team because they get more headlines with Embiid and James Harden. 

Pelicans vs 76ers Over/Under analysis

The last game between these two clubs went Over the total, but bettors shouldn’t expect lightning to strike twice here.

CJ McCollum was unconscious from beyond the arc when these clubs last met, as he drained 11 of the 16 threes he took en route to a season-best 42-point performance. But McCollum demonstrated how difficult it is to duplicate an effort like that in the NBA by shooting 1-for-7 from 3-point range against the Grizzlies just one day later. 

Considering McCollum is hitting only 32.2% of his long-range shots on the road (compared to 42.4% at home), the Pelicans will likely rely more on big men Williamson and Valanciunas to generate points in a more meticulous fashion.

New Orleans also has the defensively-sound Herb Jones back in the lineup, and he had been out from Dec. 23 to Dec. 30 due to the league’s health and safety protocols. He had 11 rebounds in his return to action on Saturday. 

Whether they’re ahead or behind, the Sixers will be in no rush on offense. In fact, they rank 25th in pace, or possessions per 48 minutes (97.4). A lack of possessions combined with a potential lack of rebounds could spell trouble for Philly’s offense.

The 76ers’ defense is nothing to sneeze at – they held the Thunder’s talented Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to 14 points on 4 of 15 shooting (26.7%) when last seen.

Pelicans vs 76ers betting trend to know

The Pelicans are 6-1-1 ATS in the last eight meetings between these two teams. Find more NBA betting trends for Pelicans vs. 76ers.

Pelicans vs 76ers game info

Pelicans vs 76ers key injuries

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