Cavaliers vs Pelicans Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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13 March 2024

Cavaliers vs Pelicans Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

The Pelicans offense is cooking at the moment, and they meet a Cavaliers squad that will be tested for depth even if Donovan Mitchell suits up this evening. Find out how our NBA betting picks will support New Orleans.

The surging New Orleans Pelicans have the look of a dangerous playoff team and they’ll go for a fifth straight win tonight as they host the banged-up Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pelicans are hitting top gear with April and May in sight — and they’re favorites here in the NBA odds after extending their perfect March with a victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Injury woes have hurt the Cavs again this month, contributing to three losses in their past four contests, including a 117-111 setback against the Phoenix Suns on Monday. But Donovan Mitchell was at shootaround today and could make a timely return.

NBA picks for Cavaliers vs. Pelicans for a closer look at this Wednesday, March 13 showdown.

Cavaliers vs Pelicans odds

Cavaliers vs Pelicans predictions

Health will always be the asterisk with the New Orleans Pelicans, but they’re going to be a fearsome playoff opponent if Willie Green can count on his Top 9 guys.

New Orleans stands out as a Top 5 team in offensive and defensive efficiency, and I’m picking the hosts’ offense to stay hot tonight against the injury-plagued Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pelicans have been lights-out over the past two weeks, pouring in 139 points against the Toronto Raptors on the heels of a 129-point output against the Indiana Pacers, and I love the Over on their total here. With Zion Williamson looking sharp and Trey Murphy III in a can’t-miss groove from downtown, the hosts have gone past 110 points in five of their last six games.

This season, the Pelicans are in the Top 10 in field goal percentage and the Top 5 in 3-point percentage, and they’ve got difference-makers off the bench in Jose Alvarado, Larry Nance Jr., Naji Marshall and, of course, Murphy III.

Meanwhile, Cleveland has allowed 112 points or more in three of its last four outings and will be without Evan Mobley, Max Strus, and Dean Wade again tonight.

Fresh off shooting 57% from the field in Atlanta, I expect New Orleans to stay locked in offensively here and I’m jumping on this Over.

My best bet: Pelicans team total Over 111.5 (-110 at bet365)

Cavaliers vs Pelicans same-game parlay

Pelicans team total Over 111.5CJ McCollum Over 2.5 made 3sZion Williamson Over 6.5 rebounds

The biggest question mark with this New Orleans offense is the spacing. Murphy III is solving some of those concerns with his red-hot streak, but it’s CJ McCollum who’s really opened up the court for the hosts by leaning into his long-range shot-making.

McCollum is attempting almost eight triples a game this season and making them at a 41.7% clip. He’s had three or more 3-pointers in seven of his last nine outings, and I’m grabbing the CJ McCollum odds for Over 2.5 makes tonight.

For all Zion’s physicality, his rebounding numbers often haven’t matched his presence in the paint. But there’s been a shift over the past week and the numbers confirm it.

Williamson had 12 boards against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday after logging eight in Toronto three nights earlier. He’s had eight or more rebounds in four of his last seven outings, and I see him being a force on the glass again here, especially with Cleveland’s thin frontcourt depth.

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Cavaliers vs Pelicans spread and Over/Under analysis

The Pelicans start the day two games behind the No. 4-seed Los Angeles Clippers, and that’s looking like a more realistic target after Kawhi Leonard left last night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a back issue.

The hosts should be able to prey on Cleveland here. With homecourt advantage and an edge in health, New Orleans is unsurprisingly a 5.5-point favorite — and the Pelicans’ 35-27-2 ATS record this season is another reason to like the hosts, even though the Cavs have won three of the past four meetings.

Mitchell’s return would breathe life into the Cleveland offense, but it’s the visitors’ bench that could be stretched tonight with Georges Niang and Caris LeVert both pushed into the starting lineup due to injuries.

Darius Garland has reached the 30-point mark twice in his last three games but New Orleans has multiple options to hound him in the halfcourt.

Despite some scorching shooting nights from the hosts, the Under is actually 7-3 in the Pelicans’ last 10 contests. That perhaps accounts for a line of 217.5 which feels a little light, especially if Mitchell is available.

The Cavs have cashed the Over in three straight games, but the first-half Under has been a winner in 22 of their last 29 contests.

Cavaliers vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Pelicans have been a first-half juggernaut, hitting the 1H moneyline in 56 of their last 78 games. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pelicans.

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