Pelicans vs Nets

Michael Porter Jr. and the Nets get this one at home against a Pelicans team riding a five-game losing streak and already 1-18 in the West, while Brooklyn has only a single loss on its current skid and at least flashes some upward momentum behind Porter’s 25+ points per night and Nic Claxton’s all-around impact. With New Orleans missing Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole and Herbert Jones, they’ve essentially lost their primary creation, spacing and point-of-attack defense, whereas Brooklyn’s absences (Cam Thomas, Haywood Highsmith, plus a banged-up but probable Noah Clowney) mostly hit their depth. Porter has historically punished New Orleans, averaging close to 20 points per game against the Pelicans over his career and significantly more in recent meetings, and without Zion’s 22.1 PPG to answer on the other end, the Pelicans’ offense leans heavily on Trey Murphy III and role players just to stay afloat. Laying the extra juice on the Nets moneyline at -170 isn’t cheap given Brooklyn’s 5-17 record and tank-adjacent context, but compared with trusting an injury-ravaged 3-20 road team, it still grades as a B-level play on talent, health and home-court edges. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:37am

Brooklyn’s offense, driven by Porter but badly missing secondary scorers like Thomas and Highsmith, has been one of the league’s least efficient shooting groups, while New Orleans arrives on a five-game slide without Zion, Murray, Poole or Jones, gutting the playmaking and rim pressure that normally prop up its attack. Even with both defenses ranking near the bottom and the Nets allowing an ugly opponent field-goal percentage, this specific iteration of the Pelicans leans heavily on Murphy, Jordan Poole’s replacements and bigs like Yves Missi (who’s not fully healthy) to manufacture points, which is a major downgrade from their usual 22.1 PPG centerpiece in Zion. Add in that both teams are buried in the standings this early, coaches are experimenting with lineups, pace has been inconsistent, and late-game “tanking-time” rotations can produce choppy, turnover-prone offense rather than sustained shootouts, and the 227 total feels a tick high for these shorthanded, low-confidence rosters. Under 227 at -110 earns a B, with decent value built on injuries and inefficiency but some risk that a random three-point barrage or garbage-time scoring spree pushes it over. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:37am

Nic Claxton and Brooklyn look slightly more trustworthy to cover -3 at home than this depleted Pelicans group, given the contrasting streaks (Nets coming off a single loss after at least showing signs of life, New Orleans mired in five straight defeats) and how thoroughly injuries have hollowed out the Pelicans’ top end. With Zion, Murray, Poole and Jones all ruled out or sidelined long term, New Orleans is effectively asking Murphy, depth guards and a possibly limited Missi to keep pace with a Nets team whose offensive ceiling rises dramatically whenever Porter—who has historically scored efficiently and in volume against the Pelicans—is on the floor. At the same time, Brooklyn’s own issues are real: their 5-17 mark reflects late-game collapses, they’re navigating a tanking narrative, and recent losses without Porter have highlighted how fragile any Nets spread ticket can be, which is why this isn’t higher than a B- despite obvious matchup and health advantages. Still, with home court, the better current form, and more reliable shot creation, Brooklyn -3 (-115) is the side, just staked smaller than the moneyline given the volatility of two bottom-of-the-standings teams. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:37am