NBA picks: Lakers vs. Pelicans prediction, odds, over/under, spread, injury report for Sunday, Dec. 31

The Los Angeles Lakers take on the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, December 31. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Lakers (17-16) are coming off a two-point road loss to the Timberwolves, and the Pelicans (18-14) most recently defeated the Utah Jazz to break a two-game losing streak.

The Pelicans will play without Matt Ryan and Larry Nance Jr, and have listed Trey Murphy as questionable. Gabe Vincent is out for the Lakers, while LeBron James is questionable and Anthony Davis is probable.

The Pelicans are 7.5-point home favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the total is set at 231.

Lakers vs. Pelicans, 7 p.m. ET

Pick ATS: Pelicans -7.5

The Lakers have now lost seven of their last 11 games, and are just 16-18 against the spread this season. They have struggled on the road, going 6-11, and while they handily beat the Pelicans earlier this season, they have not been playing well since then. With James questionable and the team less rested than the Pelicans, I’m going with New Orleans to cover.

Over/Under: Over 231

The Lakers are 17-17 on the over this season, and the Pelicans are 15-17. However, the Pelicans are 5-4 on the over in their last nine games, and the Lakers are 7-2 in their last nine. Both teams bring a fast-paced offense to the court — the Lakers rank seventh in possessions per game, and the Pelicans rank 15th.