Brooklyn travels to New Orleans on Wednesday night for an 8 PM ET game at Smoothie King Center. Both teams are having trouble winning, but the Pelicans have been giving up points at a ridiculous rate lately. Brooklyn isn’t exactly an offensive powerhouse, so this might be the right opponent for New Orleans to get things straightened out against. At the time of this writing, verified betting lines were unavailable. I lean toward the Pelicans at home, although their defense makes me a little nervous. Make sure you are aware of all the games and picks by checking out our free NBA picks.
Brooklyn Has Been Getting Pushed Around
Brooklyn is 2-8 after losing 130-93 to Dallas on Sunday. That’s a 37-point loss, and it wasn’t particularly competitive. The Nets also lost 124-121 to Atlanta on Saturday after letting a late lead get away. That’s two very different kinds of losses, but they count the same. Brooklyn hasn’t been able to find much consistency on either end.
The Nets have been scoring around 107 points per game and allowing almost 116. That’s a pretty big gap. Brooklyn has been struggling to generate good shots, particularly when opponents take away the first option. The Nets have also been giving up too many easy baskets in transition. That’s not a great combination against New Orleans, which has enough offensive ability to score in bunches when the game gets moving.
Brooklyn needs better production from its guards and a much stronger effort on the boards. The Nets can’t afford to let New Orleans get second chances, especially when they’re already having trouble scoring. If Brooklyn wants to steal this game, it needs to slow things down, take care of the basketball, and make the Pelicans work in the half court. Trying to trade baskets probably isn’t going to end well.
New Orleans Needs to Start Playing Some Defense
New Orleans is 4-7 after getting embarrassed 138-87 by Golden State on Monday. That’s a 51-point loss. I don’t care how good the Warriors are playing, giving up 138 while scoring 87 is unacceptable. The Pelicans also lost 139-123 to the Clippers on Sunday. That’s 277 points allowed in two games. Good grief.
The Pelicans have been averaging around 120 points per game, which sounds pretty good until you see they’re allowing nearly 121. They’ve got enough offense to win games, but they keep making life easy for the other team. Golden State shot its way to a huge lead Monday, and New Orleans never really recovered. Brooklyn doesn’t have that kind of offensive firepower, so the Pelicans should have a chance to defend better.
The biggest thing New Orleans needs is a better effort. Get back in transition, stop giving up open looks, and make somebody work for a basket. The Pelicans have enough scoring talent to beat Brooklyn, but they can’t spend another night standing around defensively. After two straight games allowing nearly 140 points, I’d expect some urgency.
Brooklyn Nets vs New Orleans Pelicans Picks and Prediction
Moneyline Pick: New Orleans Pelicans
I’m taking New Orleans. I know the Pelicans just got beaten by 51, and that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. But Brooklyn just lost by 37 to Dallas, so neither team is coming in feeling great.
New Orleans has the better offense, and the Pelicans are at home. Brooklyn has been scoring only about 107 a game, which should give New Orleans a little breathing room defensively. The Pelicans could make this uncomfortable if they keep giving up open shots. But I think they have enough scoring to get the win.
Total Pick: Over — Â
I lean over, but I’d be careful about the number. New Orleans has been giving up points like crazy, and Brooklyn’s defense hasn’t been much better. That’s the argument for a high-scoring game. The problem is Brooklyn’s offense. The Nets scored only 93 against Dallas, and they haven’t been consistent enough to assume they’ll get 115 every night. Still, New Orleans should be able to put up points against this defense. Something around 121-110 wouldn’t surprise me. I’d need the posted total before making the over an official play.
Final Picks: New Orleans Pelicans Moneyline | OverÂ
Disclaimer: Completed November 10, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting lineups may change before tipoff.
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