Pelicans vs. Nuggets Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Wednesday, Oct. 29

The Nuggets are heavily favored at home.
The Denver Nuggets and guard Jamal Murray are major favorites at home.
The Denver Nuggets and guard Jamal Murray are major favorites at home. / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans are still looking for their first win of the 2025-26 season – a bad sign for a team that traded away its first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

On Wednesday, the Pels are road underdogs against the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, who picked up a double-digit road win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. 

The Nuggets are widely expected to be one of the best teams in the Western Conference, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re favored at home in this matchup.

New Orleans has also listed Zion Williamson (foot) as questionable for this game after he missed Monday’s loss to Boston. 

Denver has bounced back nicely since losing to the Golden State Warriors to open the season, blowing out Phoenix and Minnesota in back-to-back games. Can it keep that streak going on Wednesday?

Here’s a breakdown of the odds, players to bet on in the prop market and my prediction for Pelicans vs. Nuggets. 

Pelicans vs. Nuggets Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

  • Pelicans +12.5 (-105)
  • Nuggets -12.5 (-115)

Moneyline

  • Pelicans: +500
  • Nuggets: -700

Total

  • 235.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Pelicans vs. Nuggets How to Watch

  • Date: Wednesday, Oct. 29
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. EST
  • Venue: Ball Arena
  • How to Watch (TV): Altitude, FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
  • Pelicans record: 0-3
  • Nuggets record: 2-1

Pelicans vs. Nuggets Injury Reports

Pelicans Injury Report

  • Trey Alexander – out
  • Hunter Dickinson – out
  • Kevon Looney – out
  • Dejounte Murray – out
  • Zion Williamson – questionable

Nuggets Injury Report

  • Tamar Bates – out
  • Curtis Jones – out
  • DaRon Holmes II – out
  • Cameron Johnson – questionable

Pelicans vs. Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bets

Nuggets Best NBA Prop Bet

  • Nikola Jokic OVER 12.5 Rebounds (-104)

I love Nikola Jokic’s rebound prop on Wednesday, as he’s taking on a New Orleans team that is 28th in rebound percentage and 29th in opponent rebounds per game this season.

The Pelicans have a questionable center rotation with youngsters Yves Missi and Derik Queen alongside veteran DeAndre Jordan (a former Nugget). 

Jokic should be able to clean up on the glass, and he enters this game averaging 15.3 rebounds per game, grabbing at least 13 in every matchup. The three-time league MVP also is averaging 23.3 rebound chances per game, which is second in the NBA to only Domantas Sabonis. 

Pelicans vs. Nuggets Prediction and Pick

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why I’m taking Denver as part of a moneyline parlay on Wednesday: 

Denver is a massive favorite at home against a winless New Orleans Pelicans squad on Wednesday. The Pels may not have Zion Williamson (he missed their last game with a foot injury), as he’s listed as questionable. New Orleans is just 100-159 all time when Williamson sits.

Meanwhile, Denver is one of the top-five teams in the league in offensive rating, net rating and effective field goal percentage with Jamal Murray off to a red-hot start in the 2025-26 season. 

I’m buying the Nuggets to win this game at home, where they were 59-23 the last two seasons.

I also like the Nuggets to cover in this game, even though the 12.5 points could be a lot to lay if Williamson plays.

Denver has won back-to-back games by 13 or more points, and the Nuggets ranks second in the NBA in offensive rating and third in net rating this season. Meanwhile, the Pels are coming off a 32-point loss to Boston and have yet to win a game in the 2025-26 season. 

I’ll trust Denver at home, where it is usually one of the best teams in the league.

Pick: Nuggets -12.5 (-115 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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Peter Dewey
PETER DEWEY

Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.