New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers Prediction and Preview | Oct. 27, 2024

The New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers will face off in the 2024-25 NBA season for the second time in two days at Moda Center on Sunday.

The Pelicans edged a thrilling game on Friday with Brandon Ingram's late jumper securing a 105-103 victory for the away team in Portland. The Pelicans are 2-0 on the season while the Blazers have lost both their games so far.

The Pelicans finished with a 49-33 record last season. After a disappointing finish where they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, Willie Green's team is looking to make a statement in the West. With the additions of experienced NBA players such as Dejounte Murray, Javonte Green and Daniel Theis, they will hope to put together a deep playoff run.

The Trail Blazers start the campaign with one of the youngest rosters in the NBA and will be aiming to develop their young core this season. Last season, Portland finished bottom of the Western Conference standings with a 21-61 record. After starting the season with back-to-back losses, coach Chauncey Billups will be desperate for a home win on Sunday to lift the spirits in the locker room.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers odds, preview and prediction

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jordan Hawkins shoots the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray at Moda Center. Photo Credit: Imagn

The game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers will take place at Moda Center with tip off set for 6 p.m. EDT. It will be available to watch on KATU and Gulf Coast Sports. The game can also be streamed on NBA League Pass and fuboTV.

Moneyline: Pelicans (-250) Blazers (+210)

Spread: Pelicans -6.5 (-110 ) Blazers +6.5 (-110)

Total (Over/Under): Over 218.5 points (-115), Under 218.5 points (-105)

Note: All odds are subject to change prior to tip off. The listed odds were based on available information at the time of writing.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers preview

The Pelicans enter the game as 6.5-point favorites after starting the campaign 2-0. New Orleans defeated the Chicago Bulls 123-111 in the season opener before securing a slender 105-103 victory over the Blazers.

The loss of newly-acquired guard Dejounte Murray to injury will be a major blow to the Pelicans. The former All-Star is reportedly out for four to six weeks with a left hand injury.

Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum have been the key players for New Orleans to start the campaign. Ingram leads the roster in points (27.0) and rebounds (7.5), while McCollum ranks first in assists (4.0) and steals (2.5).

The Trail Blazers have struggled to find their footing over the first week of the season. Billups' team was humbled by the Golden State Warriors in a 140-104 loss to start the campaign. That was followed by a close loss to the Pelicans.

A trade for Deni Avdija was the big move of the offseason for the Blazers. The 23-year-old has averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and four assists over his first two games and the organization will be hoping he can continue to develop in the coming months.

Former Syracuse forward Jerami Grant has been the standout player for Portland so far. He is averaging 25.0 ppg over his first two starts, including a game-high 34-points against the Pelicans on Friday. Grant has also chipped in with 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers preview betting tips

With Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy III sidelined, CJ McCollum should see more playing time. The shooting guard has averaged a team-high 35 minutes this season and only Ingram has more field-goal attempts per game. McCollum will likely score more than 20.5 points on Sunday.

The Portland Trail Blazers have struggled to put points on the board, averaging just 103.5 ppg. That number is the second lowest in the Western Conference. The point total of 20.5 set for Anfernee Simons is high for an offense that is struggling to create chances.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Portland Trail Blazers prediction

Despite a close battle between these teams on Friday, the New Orleans Pelicans remain a heavy favorite going into this game. The Blazers offense is yet to click and it is hard to see where the points will come from for the home team. The Pelicans should cruise to their third consecutive victory of the season, and cover the 6.5 points.