New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction, Odds, Line, Spread & Picks - October 19 | 2022-23 NBA Regular Season
The Brooklyn Nets will host the New Orleans Pelicans to begin their 2022-2023 NBA season. Both teams made the playoffs last season but bowed out in the first round.
Entering the new season, both teams have lofty expectations. With Ben Simmons set to join Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, many are expecting the Nets to compete for the title. The Pelicans, meanwhile, will also get their first look at their 'Big 3'. Zion Williamson will return from injury after missing last season to join Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.
The Nets ended last season ninth in scoring but 18th in scoring defense, averaging 112.9 points per game while allowing opponents to score 112.1 points per game. Despite their high-powered offense, they finished seventh in the Eastern Conference, winning a play-in game before getting swept.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, fared much worse offensively, finishing 21st, scoring 109.3 points per game. They did have a top-half defense, allowing just 110.3 points per game, which was 13th-best in the league. The Pelicans finished ninth in the Western Conference and won the play-in before being eliminated in the first round.
The Nets will be without Seth Curry, Joe Harris, and T.J. Warren, while Kira Lewis Jr. is out for the Pelicans. New Orleans center Jaxson Hayes is also questionable to suit up.
New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets Match Details
Fixture: New Orleans Pelicans at Brooklyn Nets
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 19; 7:30 pm EDT
Venue: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Odds
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets Best Picks
Ben Simmons has received plenty of slander for his inability to shoot jump shots. It has become so talked about that other parts of his game are often ignored.
Simmons, who has become heavily underrated, is able to do just about everything else at a high level. With averages of about 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists per game for his career, he has shown his ability to fill up the stat sheet. With two superstar talents around him, look for Simmons' production to continue.
Pick: Ben Simmons Over 9.5 Points (-110) and Over 23.5 Points, Rebounds, and Assists (-115)
Kevin Durant is one of the most prolific scorers the NBA has ever seen. He enters the new season with a chip on his shoulder following a tumultuous offseason. While Durant has received plenty of off-the-court criticism, there aren't many players in the league at his level. Expect him to come out looking to silence the critics with his play once again.
Pick: Kevin Durant Over 27.5 Points (-110)
Without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram's 3-point shooting took a hit last season. In the postseason, though, Ingram recovered, shooting over 40% from behind the arc. With Williamson set to play for the first time in nearly 18 months, Ingram will likely find himself with more open shots.
Pick: Brandon Ingram Over 1.5 Threes (+150)
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New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets Betting Prediction
Barring injury, the New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets should both return to the postseason this time. However, they will both have to figure out how to work their returning stars into the offense. While the Pelicans should eventually solve that, they are likely to face more issues early on than the Nets.
While Simmons will have to be incorporated into the Nets offense, his role as a facilitator makes the Nets' path easier, as Durant and Irving are both score-first players. Williamson, meanwhile, will need shots, and his presence will likely alter the Pelicans offense.
Pick: Brooklyn Nets -3 (110)
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