Pelicans vs. Lakers Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, March 3

A fully healthy Los Angeles Lakers team is looking to make a push for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference over the final month-plus of the 2025-26 NBA regular season.

The Lakers are set as home favorites – where they are 13-7 against the spread this season – on Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, who are playing better as of late.

L.A. has a 3-0 lead on the Pelicans in their season series, but New Orleans has won six of its last 10 games to climb out of the basement in the Western Conference.

On Tuesday, the Pels could be down Zion Williamson (ankle) after he missed the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Williamson is listed as questionable for this game, and the Pelicans are a dreadful 3-14 this season when he doesn’t play.

The Lakers do not have a single player on their injury report for one of the first times this season, but can they pay that off with a big win at home?

Here’s a look at the betting odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this Western Conference clash.

Pelicans vs. Lakers Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Pelicans +8.5 (-108)
Lakers -8.5 (-112)

Moneyline

Pelicans: +275
Lakers: -345

Total

243.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Pelicans vs. Lakers How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, March 3
Time: 10:30 p.m. EST
Venue: Crypto.com Arena
How to Watch (TV): Spectrum Sportsnet, FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
Pelicans record: 19-43
Lakers record: 36-24

Pelicans vs. Lakers Injury Reports

Pelicans Injury Report

Zion Williamson – questionable
Hunter Dickinson – out
Trey Alexander – out

Lakers Injury Report

None to report

Pelicans vs. Lakers Best NBA Prop Bets

Lakers Best NBA Prop Bet

Luka Doncic OVER 3.5 3-Pointers Made (-150)

Doncic has been on fire from beyond the arc since the All-Star break, and he made today’s best NBA props for SI Betting:

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has shot the ball well from beyond the arc since the All-Star break, knocking down four or more 3s in five of six games.

Over that stretch, Doncic is shooting 47.5 percent from 3 on 9.8 attempts per game, pushing his season-long percentage to 36.0 percent.

Now, the star guard takes on the New Orleans Pelicans, who allow the second-most 3-pointers per game in the NBA. New Orleans has struggled against Doncic this season, allowing him to hit at least three shots from deep in all three of their meetings.

I’ll trust him to stay hot from beyond the arc, especially since he’s taking nearly 10 shots from deep per game since returning from his hamstring injury that sidelined him before the break.

Pelicans vs. Lakers Prediction and Pick

The Lakers have been a tough team to trust this season because they have one of the 10-worst defenses in the NBA, but I’m buying them at home against the Pelicans on Tuesday.

L.A. is 3-0 against New Orleans this season, winning by eight on the road, 12 at home and 14 on the road in their first three meetings. Now, the Pelicans may be without Williamson (ankle, questionable) for Tuesday’s matchup.

That’s a major concern, as the Pels are just 3-14 straight up in the 17 games that Williamson has missed this season. New Orleans has also struggled on the road overall, going 8-22 straight up in 30 games.

The Lakers are one of the best teams against the spread when favored at home this season (13-7), and they don’t have a single player on the injury report on Tuesday. L.A. is just two games out of the No. 3 seed in the West, and I think it’s been a little undervalued given all the injuries it has dealt with in the 2025-26 season.

Pick: Lakers -8.5 (-112 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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