Pelicans vs. Nets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Tuesday, April 8

The Nets are favored at home on Tuesday.

The Nets are favored at home on Tuesday. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Two tanking teams face off on Tuesday night in Brooklyn as the Brooklyn Nets host the New Orleans Pelicans.

New Orleans, which has shut down several key rotation players for the season (including Zion Williamson), has dropped three games in a row as it continues to push for better odds in the draft lottery.

The Nets have dropped eight of their last 10 games, but they have won 25 overall in the 2024-25 campaign, likely hurting their odds to land the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Even though both of these teams don’t have many reasons to want to win this game, we can still bet on it.

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to watch in the prop market and my prediction for Tuesday’s contest. 

Pelicans vs. Nets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Pelicans +3 (-112)
• Nets -3 (-108)

Moneyline

• Pelicans: +124
• Nets: -148

Total

• 213 (Over -110/Under -110)

Pelicans vs. Nets How to Watch

• Date: Tuesday, April 8
• Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
• Venue: Barclays Center
• How to Watch (TV): YES Network, FanDuel Sports Network New Orleans
• Pelicans record: 21-57
• Nets record: 25-53

Pelicans vs. Nets Injury Reports

Pelicans Injury Report

• Jose Alvarado – questionable
• Brandon Boston – out
• Herb Jones – out
• Jordan Hawkins – out
• Dejounte Murray – out
• Trey Murphy III – out
• Zion Williamson – out
• CJ McCollum – out
• Kelly Olynyk – questionable

Nets Injury Report

• Noah Clowney – out
• Cameron Johnson – out
• Keon Johnson – out
• De’Anthony Melton – out
• D’Angelo Russell – out
• Cam Thomas – out
• Day’Ron Sharpe – out

Pelicans vs. Nets Best NBA Prop Bets

Brooklyn Nets Best NBA Prop Bet

• Nic Claxton UNDER Rebounds

With so many players out on both sides, oddsmakers have yet to release an over/under number for props at DraftKings, instead releasing just totals. 

I lean with taking the UNDER on Nic Claxton’s rebounds – likely to be at 8.5 – since he’s averaging just 7.6 boards per game and has failed to clear this line in four of his last five games. 

Pelicans vs. Nets Prediction and Pick

New Orleans has shut down just about every single one of its top rotation players, and now it has to hit the road as an underdog against a scrappy Brooklyn team.

Jordi Fernandez’s team has played hard all season long, even though it has cost the Nets in terms of their position in the draft lottery.

Meanwhile, New Orleans has a -12.8 net rating over its last 10 games and is just 11-20 against the spread when set as a road underdog.

I don’t love betting on matchups between tanking teams, but I lean with the Nets to win on Tuesday night.

Pick: Nets Moneyline (-148 at DraftKings)

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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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