Last year, Zion Williamson was able to stay in the lineup consistently. And that made an NBA future odds difference on the hardwood and at the betting window. However, Williamson can’t stay in the lineup this year, and the results show it. Previously, the New Orleans Pelicans posted a winning record and made the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. The key to the New Orleans efforts was the health of Zion Williamson. Williamson was touted as a franchise savior when the Pels won the 2019 NBA Draft lottery.
2025 New Orleans Pelicans Betting Information
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New Orleans Pelicans Key Players and Coach
Head coach Willie Green is a former journeyman NBA player who played in New Orleans from 2010-2011. He has been head coach of the Pels since 2021-22. In sum, he had a career record of 127-119 at the start of the season.
Last season, CJ McCollum averaged 19.2 points per game. The Portland Trail Blazers selected him as the 10th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft out of Lehigh. McCollum arrived in New Orleans from the Trail Blazers in 2021-22. So far this season, he is averaging 22.1 points per game.
SF Brandon Ingram averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game last year. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him as the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of Duke. Ingram was a 2020 NBA All-Star. Correlate this sports betting year, he is averaging 22.2 points per game as the Pelicans work to trade him.
PF Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game last year. Williamson has missed roughly half of his career starts, much of it due to a weight issue. Of course, Willaimson was the first overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke by the Pelicans. He is a 2-time NBA All-Star and was on the 2020 NBA All-Rookie First Team. This year, Williamson played in only 13 of the first 50 games of the season as he continues to eat himself out of the league.
New Orleans Pelicans Team Overview
At the All-Star break, the New Orleans Pelicans are 12-38 straight up, 20-29-1 against the spread, and 27-22 over/under the NBA playoff odds total. New Orleans is 14th in the Western Conference playoff standings. Also, New Orleans is 28 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference playoff race. Of great concern is that Williamson’s refusal to keep his weight down has led to perpetual injuries and lost time.
Overall, New Orleans’s NBA metrics rank 24th for scoring offense, 25th for field goal percentage, 23rd for 3-point field goal percentage, 25th for free throw percentage, and 24th for offensive rebounding. On defense, the Pelicans’ metrics rank 26th for scoring defense, 29th for field goal percentage permitted, 22nd for 3-point field goal percentage allowed, and 28th for defensive rebounding.
New Orleans Pelicans Team History
The New Orleans Pelicans are one of the newest teams in the NBA. The league granted former owner George Shinn an expansion franchise. Subsequently, he transferred over to the Charlotte Hornets to play in the Big Easy. They were known as the Hornets from 2002 to 2013 when they changed their name to the New Orleans Pelicans.
This team immediately succeeded, making the postseason in its first two seasons. However, Hurricane Katrina left the franchise without a home for two years, leading to the team playing games in Oklahoma City during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.