Jazz vs. Pelicans Prediction and Odds for Sunday, October 23 (Brandon Ingram Shines for New Orleans)
By Peter Dewey
If you had the Utah Jazz starting the 2022-23 season at 2-0 with wins over the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves, I’d simply like to know where your time machine is and how it works.
Seriously.
After gutting its roster this offseason, Utah has played inspired basketball to start the season, blowing out Denver on opening night and then taking down former Jazz star, Rudy Gobert, and the Wolves in another high-scoring affair.
Oddsmakers are expecting plenty of points in Utah’s matchup on Sunday with the New Orleans Pelicans, who are also 2-0 this season.
With Zion Williamson back, the Pelicans look like a legit contender in the Western Conference, but do they fall victim to the frisky Jazz on Sunday?
Here are the latest odds for this game:
Jazz vs. Pelicans Odds, Spread and Total
Jazz vs. Pelicans Prediction and Pick
This is a tough game to handicap, as I came into this season high on the Pelicans, but Utah has really changed my thinking about just how willing this team is to tank in the 2022-23 season.
So, I decided to go with a player prop for this game, which I wrote about in today’s NBA Best Bets column.
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is picking up right where he left off in the playoffs last season, scoring 28 points in each of his first two games. He’s been New Orleans’ best player early on this season, and I expect him to keep that up tonight.
Ingram has soared past his PRA line of 33.5 tonight in each of his games, tallying 40 and 44 points, rebounds and assists in the Pels’ first two contests. He offers a solid floor with his scoring ability and both of these teams have played at uptempo paces (10th and 13th) through the start of this season.
If this game comes anywhere near this high total, Ingram should have no problem going over 33.5 PRA.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.