Bryan Armetta shares his preview, prediction and pick for Wednesday’s game between the Denver Nuggets and the New Orleans Pelicans.

At 10-3, the Nuggets are staking their claim as the best team in basketball. That means Denver needs every win it can get going forward, including tonight’s contest. The Pelicans, 2-12, have suffered through a dismal start to their season.

Will Nikola Jokic and company pick up another victory, or will the home team make things interesting? Below is my prediction and pick for Wednesday’s game between the Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans.

The Nuggets are 14.5-point favorites (-110) over the Pelicans on DraftKings Sportsbook. Denver is favored at -950 on the moneyline. The total is set at 233.5 points.

Nuggets vs. Pelicans prediction, preview

As always, the Nuggets wield one of the NBA’s most dangerous offenses. However, the team has made major strides on defense so far. Through one month of play, Denver is allowing the fifth-fewest points per game (112.7), a significant improvement from last season. Even if the defense lets up a bit down the stretch, that’s a nice foundation for head coach David Adelman.

It helps that the Nuggets still rank among the association’s best offensive units, thanks in large part to Nikola Jokic. This season, the center is averaging 29.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game. In addition, he has efficient 65/39/86 shooting splits. What were once considered video game numbers have now become commonplace for the three-time MVP. He’s supported by longtime co-stars Jamal Murray (23.1 PPG, 6.1 AST) and Aaron Gordon (20.3 PPG, 6.3 REB). The latter of the two is listed as questionable tonight due to injury management. Denver and rival Oklahoma City are the only teams inside the top five in both offensive and defensive rating.

That’s bad news for any opponent, let alone a two-win cellar dweller. In fairness to New Orleans, early injuries to Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Jordan Poole (quad) have made things difficult. Regardless, there’s no excuse for the team’s noticeable lack of effort on both ends of the floor. Unsurprisingly, head coach Willie Green was relieved of his duties last weekend. Trey Murphy is the de facto top option for the Pelicans. Over his last six games, the wing is averaging 26.2 points and 7.2 rebounds. After that, it’s a mishmash of rookies and veterans filling out the depth chart.

Excluding Gordon, several important pieces won’t suit up for Denver. That includes guards Julian Strawther (back) and Christian Braun (ankle). Still, there’s enough capable players on this roster that can step into larger roles. Expect to see more of veterans Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. on Wednesday. The latter of the two could find success as a shooter tonight. New Orleans has surrendered 15.1 three-pointers per game to opponents, third-most in the NBA.

Nuggets vs. Pelicans pick, best bet

Even with Gordon’s status uncertain, the Nuggets have a major talent advantage in this matchup. The Pelicans, already short-handed, have shown a knack for collapsing. This season, New Orleans has an average scoring margin of -13.6, third-worst in basketball. When these two clubs last met on October 29th, Denver dominated en route to a 122-88 blowout. That was with Williamson and Poole on the floor. Without those two, it’s difficult to envision the Pels keeping pace.

Best Bet: Nuggets -14.5 (-110)