New Orleans faces Denver on home skid

Updated Dec. 22, 2024 2:03 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Denver Nuggets (14-11, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (5-24, 15th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Nuggets -9; over/under is 233.5

BOTTOM LINE: New Orleans plays Denver looking to stop its three-game home skid.

The Pelicans are 3-13 in Western Conference games. New Orleans is 1-17 in games decided by 10 or more points.

The Nuggets are 9-8 against Western Conference opponents. Denver averages 31.0 assists per game to lead the Western Conference, paced by Nikola Jokic with 9.8.

The Pelicans are shooting 43.6% from the field this season, 3.1 percentage points lower than the 46.7% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets average 119.4 points per game, 2.7 more than the 116.7 the Pelicans allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Yves Missi is averaging 9.3 points and 8.6 rebounds for the Pelicans.

Jokic is scoring 31.0 points per game and averaging 13.0 rebounds for the Nuggets.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 1-9, averaging 107.6 points, 42.5 rebounds, 21.9 assists, 10.6 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.3 points per game.

Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 122.3 points, 43.0 rebounds, 32.0 assists, 9.4 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 52.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.1 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Brandon Ingram: out (ankle), Daniel Theis: day to day (personal), Zion Williamson: out (hamstring), Karlo Matkovic: day to day (back), Jose Alvarado: day to day (hamstring).

Nuggets: DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Vlatko Cancar: out (knee), Christian Braun: day to day (back), Dario Saric: day to day (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.