New Orleans visits the LA Clippers at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. ET. Pelicans coverage includes Gulf Coast Sports and Pelicans+. The line I’m using is New Orleans -1.5 with a total of 231.5. Other odds feeds have shown the Clippers as the favorite, so check the team and number together. See the rest of our NBA picks.
New Orleans Can Put More Pressure on the Rim
The Pelicans are 4-5 and 1-2 on the road after Friday’s 115-109 home loss to Minnesota. They scored 120 in an overtime win against Utah on Wednesday and 135 in an overtime win at Memphis on Monday. The offense has been productive, but those extra periods are part of the reason the raw scoring average looks so high.
New Orleans entered Friday averaging 121.6 points and allowing 119.3. The matchup is better for the Pelicans if they get inside early and make the Clippers react. They don’t need another 120-point game if they make the Clippers score against a set defense on the other end.
Jeremiah Fears scored 24 against Minnesota, and Zion Williamson had 25 in the win at Memphis. Williamson can force help near the basket, and Fears gives New Orleans another player who can attack once defenders start moving. The Pelicans have to turn that pressure into good shots without giving the Clippers easy runouts.
The Clippers Need Darius Garland to Keep the Offense Moving
The Clippers are 1-7 and 1-3 at home. They lost 117-116 in overtime to Miami on Wednesday. That game showed they can stay close at home, but it also took extra time for them to get to 116 against a Heat defense that has allowed a lot of points.
The Clippers have averaged 109.1 points and allowed 115.6. They can make New Orleans work if they get back in transition and take away the first drive. The harder part is keeping up offensively if the Pelicans finish possessions at the rim and make the Clippers come back against a set defense.
Darius Garland scored 26 against Miami. He gives the Clippers a way to attack high ball screens and get teammates involved before New Orleans can load up. Brandon Ingram and Bradley Beal were listed out in the early injury report. If both remain out, more of the late-clock work falls to Garland.
Pelicans vs Clippers Matchup Chart
| Category | New Orleans | LA Clippers |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 4-5 | 1-7 |
| Road or home record | 1-2 road | 1-3 home |
| Points per game through Nov. 5 | 121.6 | 109.1 |
| Points allowed through Nov. 5 | 119.3 | 115.6 |
| Most recent result | Lost to Minnesota 115-109 | Lost to Miami 117-116 in OT |
New Orleans Pelicans vs LA Clippers Picks and Prediction
Spread Pick: New Orleans Pelicans -1.5
I’ll take New Orleans at -1.5. The Pelicans have more than one way to get downhill, and I trust them a little more to turn those drives into good late possessions. The Clippers have the rest edge, and Garland can punish New Orleans if its help is late. That’s enough for me to keep this to a short spread.
Total Pick: Under 231.5
New Orleans’ scoring average gives the over a case, but the two overtime games make it a poor starting point for a regulation projection. The Clippers have averaged just over 109, and I expect them to spend more time playing against an organized defense than Miami made them on Wednesday. New Orleans giving up transition points is the main risk. I project New Orleans 115, LA Clippers 111.
Final Picks: New Orleans Pelicans -1.5 and Under 231.5.
Completed November 7, 2026. Betting lines and player availability can change before tipoff.