Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Friday, January 2, 2026
It’s a Western Conference clash between two teams near the bottom of the standings. Read our Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans prediction along with along with our other NBA Picks. The Trail Blazers are 14-20 and they have won five of their last nine games. New Orleans is in last place in the West with their 8-27 record. The Pelicans did defeat Portland by 23 points in their last meeting. These two teams will meet at 8 P.M. EST.
Sign Up for Winners and Whiners News Alerts, Get Free Picks and Discounts
Subscribe Now
Portland fighting for final playoff spot
Portland is 14-20 overall this season. They are in 10th place in the West as they are 15 games back of the Thunder in first place. The Trail Blazers are seven games back of Minnesota for the sixth seed, while they also sit two games ahead of the Clippers. The Trail Blazers are 7-11 when they have played on the road this year. The Trail Blazers have won five of their last nine games. Portland has also lost four of their last five road games.
In their last game, the Trail Blazers lost 124-95 to Oklahoma City on the road on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Portland’s only lead was a 3-0 advantage before the Thunder dominated in an easy win. Portland shot 39% from the field and 40% from behind the arc. Side Cissoko led the team with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting.
Deni Avdija is averaging a team-high 25.3 points and 6.9 assists per game. Donovan Clingan is also grabbing a team-leading 10.4 rebounds per game.
Portland is the 25th ranked offensive efficient team. They are also placed 20th in defensive efficiency and seventh in rebounding.
Portland is allowing 116.7 points per game, which ranks 16th. They are the 28th ranked shooting team, making 44.6% from the field. The Trail Blazers are the second-worst 3-point shooting team, making just 33.3% from behind the arc.
On defense, the Trail Blazers are allowing 120.5 points per game, which ranks 25th. They are the 21st ranked defensive team, giving up 47.7% from the field. Portland is allowing 36.4% from behind the arc, which ranks 18th.
Portland is 17-17 against the spread this season. They are 2-5 against the spread as a road favorite. They are also 8-10 against the spread on the road. The over is 19-15 when the Trail Blazers have played this season. The over is 6-1 when Portland has been a road favorite. The over is 10-8 when they have played on the road.
New Orleans’ nightmare season continues
New Orleans is 8-27 overall this season. The Pelicans are in last place in the Western Conference. They are 6.5 games back of Portland for the final play-in spot. The Pelicans are 6-15 when they have played at home. After winning five straight games, the Pelicans have followed it with five straight defeats.
In their last game, the Pelicans lost 134-118 to the Bulls on the road on Wednesday, Dec. 31. New Orleans were in the game, but they never took a commanding lead as their largest advantage was just two points in the loss. New Orleans shot 43% from the field and 32% from behind the arc. New Orleans’ defense allowed Chicago to hit 51% from the field, too. Jordan Poole led the team with 26 points on 6-for-14 shooting.
Trey Murphy leads the team with 20.5 points per game, while Derik Queen is grabbing a team-high 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
New Orleans is the 23rd ranked offensive efficient team and the third-worst defensive team in the league. The Pelicans are also the 21st ranked rebounding team.
New Orleans is averaging 115.6 points per game, which ranks 21st in the league. The Pelicans are the 20th ranked shooting team, hitting 46.1% from the field. They are making 34.1% from behind the 3-point line, which ranks fifth-worst.
On defense, New Orleans is allowing 123.1 points per game, which ranks third-worst. They are the 26th ranked defensive team allowing 48.8% from the field. The Pelicans are allowing 35.7% from behind the 3-point line, which ranks 12th.
The Pelicans are 20-14-1 against the spread this season. They are 13-7-1 against the spread this year at home. New Orleans is 11-7-1 against the spread as a home underdog. They are 5-2 against the spread with two days of rest. The over is 21-14 when New Orleans has played this season. The over is 14-7 when the Pelicans have played at home. The over is also 13-6 when they have played as a home underdog.
Portland Trail Blazers vs New Orleans Pelicans Picks
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,976.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +2,595.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +2,320.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,627.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,451.00 |
Trail Blazers vs Pelicans Spread Pick
- New Orleans Pelicans +1 (5 units)
The Pelicans have not had a great record this season as they sit in last place in the West. But, the Pelicans are fantastic against the spread. The team is 11-7-1 against the spread as a home underdog. The Pelicans offense, led by Trey Murphy, is good enough to score points at will. The team defeated Portland a few weeks ago by over 20 points. As a home underdog, the Pelicans can get this win on their home court. The Trail Blazers are a bit out of form on the road, losing four of their last five road games. The Trail Blazers are 2-5 against the spread as a road favorite.
Take the Pelicans to cover.
Trail Blazers vs Pelicans Over/Under Pick
- Over 243.5 (5 units)
Defense is not the calling card for either team this season. Both teams are allowing over 120 points per game, which should allow this game to hit the over easily. The offense should move quickly, too. Both teams play at a fast pace with Portland ranked sixth fastest and the Pelicans placed 13th in pace. The over is 14-7 when the Pelicans have played at home. The over is also 13-6 when they have played as a home underdog. The over is 6-1 when Portland has been a road favorite.
Take the over on Friday.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Bet $5 & Get $200
