Boston Celtics vs. New Orleans Pelicans Picks and Prediction for Monday, October 27, 2025
Use Code WWWC Boston Celtics (0-2) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (0-2)
The opening week of the 2025-26 NBA season is in the books, and the betting action continues Monday, October 27, with the Boston Celtics taking on the New Orleans Pelicans in the cross-conference showdown at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA, so here’s our Celtics vs. Pelicans prediction.
Boston and New Orleans open their two-game regular-season set. Last season, the Celtics swept the Pelicans, but New Orleans went 2-0 against the spread. The Celtics have won eight straight games against the Pelicans while going 5-3 ATS in the process.
Now, let’s take a closer look at this Celtics vs. Pelicans prediction, one of our NBA picks for Monday’s slate. The tip-off at Smoothie King Center is set at 8:00 PM ET. Sunday’s games have been excluded from the analysis, and the Celtics visited the Detroit Pistons on Sunday afternoon.
The Celtics are off to a bad start
The Boston Celtics hosted the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener. Playing as 5.5-point favorites, the Celtics suffered a 117-116 defeat. Boston blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead, allowing a whopping 42 points in the final 12 minutes.
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The Celtics made 45.1% of their field goals against the Sixers. Boston committed just nine turnovers, but the Celtics handed out just 16 assists while going 11-for-43 from downtown. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White accounted for 25 points each, while Neemias Queta had 17 points and eight rebounds.
Last Friday, the Celtics lost to the New York Knicks 105-95. Boston held New York to 38.4% shooting from the field and forced the Knicks into 20 turnovers. However, the Celtics allowed a staggering 21 offensive rebounds. They shot 42.7% from the field (15-for-44 from deep).
Brown scored 23 points against the Knicks, while Sam Houser had 18 points. In Jayson Tatum’s absence, Brown will be the first scoring option for the Celtics. Brown was questionable for Sunday’s game against Detroit due to a hamstring injury, but he eventually suited up.
The Pelicans search for their first W
The New Orleans Pelicans went 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS in the opening week. They are winless in nine straight outings dating back to the previous season. After a 128-122 road loss against the Memphis Grizzlies in their season opener, the Pelicans suffered a 120-116 overtime defeat to the San Antonio Spurs this past Friday.
New Orleans blew a 15-point lead in Memphis. The Pelicans gave up 72 points in the second half. They allowed 43 free-throw attempts to the Grizzlies, so 17 offensive rebounds and 66 points in the paint didn’t help the Pelicans. Zion Williamson led the way for the Pels with 27 points and nine rebounds, while Jordan Poole had 17 points in his New Orleans debut.
Against the Spurs, New Orleans shot 43.3% from the field (10-for-32 from downtown) and was outrebounded 59-45 on the night. The Pelicans yielded a whopping 20 offensive rebounds. They couldn’t cope with Victor Wembanyama, who had 29 points, 11 boards, and nine blocks.
Zion scored 27 points once more. He posted 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals, while Trey Murphy III double-doubled with 24 points and 10 boards. Poole finished the game with 21 points and five assists.
The hope is that guard Dejounte Murray, who is coming off an Achilles injury last season, can return after New Year's in 2026.
Celtics vs. Pelicans Pick
Spread Pick for Celtics vs. Pelicans
- New Orleans Pelicans (4 units)
The Pelicans miss Murray (Achilles) and Kevon Looney (knee), while Yves Missi (ankle) is questionable for Monday’s clash against the Celtics. It means that both teams miss key players, and the Celtics should get used to it, as Jayson Tatum won’t return by the end of the regular season.
This game will go down to the wire. The Pelicans have already played a couple of close games, and I expect them to avoid a third straight loss. It won’t be easy, but this is a tough spot for the Celtics, who will travel from Detroit and take the court on the second night of a back-to-back.
I expect Zion Williamson to dominate the Celtics. Boston’s frontcourt is pretty thin, and I don’t see who will be able to slow Zion down.
Over/Under Pick for Celtics vs. Pelicans
- Over (4 units)
The Celtics continue to play at a slow pace and lean on 3-pointers. Half of their field-goal attempts come from beyond the arc. On the other side, the Pelicans don’t rely on triples. They are 29th in the NBA in 3-point rate.
Yet, the Pelicans will look to push the ball in transition whenever they can. They have to force the Celtics to run up and down the floor a bit. The Pels will attack the rim a lot, and the Celtics allow 28.5 free-throw attempts per game, which is a lot. Hereof, I don’t expect a low-scoring affair. Give me the over.
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