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Match details
Fixture: New Orleans Pelicans vs Denver Nuggets
Date & Time: Wednesday, 25 December 2019 (10:30 PM ET)
Venue: Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
Last Game Results
New Orleans Pelicans (8-23): 102-94 win over the Portland Trail Blazers (23 December)
Denver Nuggets (21-8): 113-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns (23 December)
New Orleans Pelicans Preview
The New Orleans Pelicans have been horrible this season, winning just eight games till now. They sit at the 14th place in the Western Conference just above the Golden State Warriors.
The win against the Timberwolves ended a nine-game losing streak for them, which will go down in the pages of the franchise's history. This horrendous display is the amalgamation of a lot of factors, and Zion Williams's absence is one of them. Zion is out with a right knee injury, and his return date is still uncertain.
Tonight they will be up against the Nuggets who are one of the top-ranked teams in the West. The Pelicans need to approach this game as a new one and carry forward the momentum they got by beating the Blazers in the last game.
Key Player - Brandon Ingram
Coming out of the shadows of LeBron James has been a blessing for Brandon Ingram, who has been scoring big numbers this season. He is averaging 25 points, dishing 3.8 assists, grabbing 7.1 rebounds, and shooting at a rate of 48.5% from the field.
He will be a player to watch out for today. If Pelicans want to trouble the Nuggets, he is the man who needs to fire tonight.
Pelicans' Predicted Lineup
Jrue Holiday, JJ Redick, Derrick Favours, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram
Denver Nuggets Preview
The second-best team in the West in terms of record, the Nuggets have won seven in a row now. The win against the Phonix Suns improved their record to 21-8, hence, helping them saunter towards the top of the table.
Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have led the offense well, but the team, on the whole, has been impeccable on the defense. They top the NBA in team defense and have been shooting 44% from the field as a team. They have restricted their opponents to just 102.1 points, which is a clear sign of their defensive capabilities.
The Nuggets will be hoping to claim another victory tonight at home against the degenerating Pelicans.
Key Player - Nikola Jokic
Nikola Jokic is averaging 17.4 points, ten rebounds, and 6.9 assists this season. He is the backbone of Nuggets' defense and the linchpin of their offense. With Zion sidelined, Joker has all the licenses in the world to be detrimental for the Pelicans tonight.
Nuggets' Predicted Lineup
Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, Will Barton III, Paul Millsap, Nikola Jokić
Pelicans vs Nuggets Match Prediction
The Pelicans will be hoping for an all-round performance from the young guns. However, they depend a lot on Holiday and Ingram to put up exceptional numbers.
It's Christmas, and we are predicting an upset. The Pelicans will stun the Nuggets tonight.
Where to Watch Pelicans vs Nuggets?
The game will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN. Local coverage of the game can be caught on FOX Sports New Orleans and Altitude Sports. You can live stream the game via NBA League Pass.
