The NBA season began with a three-game slate last night, but the real fun tips off tonight. On Wednesday, almost every team is in action around the league. Neither of the Pacers or Pelicans were particularly good last year, but there are reasons for fans of both teams to feel good heading into the new campaign, especially when it comes to Indiana’s roster in particular. Either way, this could wind up being a really fun matchup, even if it doesn’t have the hype of some others.
Read on for a full preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday’s Pacers vs. Pelicans matchup, courtesy of odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Pacers vs. Pelicans prediction, preview
Just two years ago, the Indiana Pacers were in the NBA Finals. Last season was a disaster to follow up that appearance in the championship round, but it wasn’t all their fault. Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in those Finals and went through an extensive rehab process that also saw him come down with shingles – recovery seemed to put him through the wringer, at least from the outside looking in. Now, he’s back in action after missing all of last season and will hopefully be back to the floor-general production of 18.6 points and 9.2 assists that helped take his team to the playoffs. In the meantime, the Pacers went just 19-63 but added center Ivica Zubac via trade last year, further improving a core that already included Pascal Siakam and role-player wings Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith (out, hamstring). They’re not favorites in the Eastern Conference by any means, but it’s easy to see a world in which this group gets back to playing very competitive basketball and makes a run into the playoffs. It all just hinges on the health of Haliburton, though. If he’s back to his usual self, then this offense should hum nicely and power them to success.
The Pelicans went through plenty of pain themselves last season. They finished with a 26-56 record and failed to deliver on the expectations of at least a Play-In Tournament appearance. The offense was solid enough, ranking around the middle of the pack in PPG thanks to the duo of Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. The former played 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his healthiest campaign in years; the latter once again looked like a burgeoning star with 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 dimes a game. They’re great pieces to lead a roster, and Dejounte Murray and Herb Jones should continue to play complementary roles. However, the offseason was largely quiet. The Pels hired Jamahl Mosley as head coach and added Bennedict Mathurin and Trendon Watford, with Mathurin likely providing sixth-man production off the bench as a microwave scorer. There are still clear issues with this group, though, and it’s maybe not one to take seriously as a real threat for the playoffs just yet. They’ll need growth from young pieces like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, both of whom are entering their second years in the NBA. And if the defense doesn’t come around, there could be trouble once again in New Orleans.
Pacers vs. Pelicans pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Pacers as a 3.5-point favorite on the road tonight with -155 odds on the Moneyline. The Pelicans are a +130 underdog to win at home with the total set at 238.5 combined points.
This is a matchup in which the over looks quite good. Last season, these teams ranked 23rd and 24th in DEFRTG, also falling 24th and 25th in opponent PPG. Moreover, they both fell inside the top-11 teams in pace, which is unlikely to change given the uptempo nature of the offenses – assuming Mosley doesn’t shake that up. Even with some early rust involved on either side, this has the makings of a high-tempo shootout with some sloppy defensive play on either side of the matchup. There’s plenty of offensive talent involved, too, so I feel fairly good about this over.
