Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Prediction, Odds, Players to Watch for NBA Summer League

The Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans face off in one of the late-night matchups on Tuesday in Summer League, and they both have young big men that are worth watching.

The Pelicans have two lottery picks from the 2025 draft – guard Jeremiah Fears and big man Derek Queen – and they’ll take on Blazers’ first-round pick Yang Hansen, who has mesmerized many since the combine with his unique passing skill.

Oddsmakers have the Pelicans, who have yet to win this summer in Las Vegas, as slight favorites in this matchup.

Let’s dive into the odds, players to watch, and my prediction for Tuesday night’s battle between these Western Conference squads.

Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

Trail Blazers +1.5 (-110)
Pelicans -1.5 (-110)

Moneyline

Trail Blazers: +105
Pelicans: -125

Total

179.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, July 15
Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
Venue: Cox Pavilion
How to Watch (TV): ESPN/ESPN+
Trail Blazers record: 1-1
Pelicans record: 0-2

Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Key Players to Watch

Portland Trail Blazers

Yang Hansen

Nicknamed “Chinese Jokic,” Hansen is averaging 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game while showing some impressive ability operating out of the high post.

The 2025 first-round pick may be a little bit of a project, but he and Donovan Clingan could be an interesting center duo for the Blazers in the coming years. Originally tabbed as a second-round talent, Hansen is showing that he’s much more than that this summer.

New Orleans Pelicans

Derik Queen

Queen was a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he has played well so far in Summer League, averaging 12.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game. It’ll be interesting to see how he matches up with Hansen, as the two were just a few picks apart in the draft.

The Pelicans could use Queen and Yves Missi (their first-round pick last season) as a center duo for years to come in New Orleans.

Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Prediction and Pick

Note: Before betting on NBA Summer League, it’s important to know that rotations are fluid and predicting player performance is volatile. As an avid NBA bettor, I suggest only placing small wagers for fun on these games since they are often hard to predict.

These teams are pretty evenly matched heading into Tuesday’s matchup, but the Blazers have a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on their resume in Las Vegas.

I’m not sure of the reasoning for favoring New Orleans, which has lost by seven and by 13 so far this summer.

There’s some value in taking Portland to win, as it does have some players with NBA experience in James Bouknight, Rayan Rupert, and Sidy Cissoko on the roster. Plus, New Orleans has struggled a bit on offense, scoring just 172 points through two games.

The Blazers, on the other hand, dropped a whopping 106 points on Golden State in their lone win this summer.

I’ll take a shot with the underdog on Tuesday night.

Pick: Blazers Moneyline (+105 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and place a $5 bet to earn a guaranteed $150 in bonus bets. Regardless of the outcome of your wager, DraftKings will add six $25 bonus bet tokens to your new account instantly.