New Orleans Pelicans at LA Clippers
Sunday, November 8, 2026
9:00 PM ET, Intuit Dome
The Pelicans are 1.5-point road favorites at most books with the total at 228.5 (229.5 in spots). My play is the Pelicans -1.5.
“Well, we’re close, just not finishing the game.” That was Tyronn Lue after Wednesday’s overtime loss to Miami, per CBS Sports, and it’s the most honest summary of the Clippers’ season you’ll find. Close doesn’t count, and right now it doesn’t cover either.
Los Angeles has lost seven straight since beating Sacramento on opening night. The last two hurt the most. Against Miami, the Clippers led by 10 with about four and a half minutes left and still lost 117-116 on a Klay Thompson three in the final second of overtime, according to the AP. That’s not bad luck so much as a pattern: the Clippers give the ball away more than anyone in the league, 20.1 times a game, and Darius Garland’s league-high 5.5 turnovers a night lead the way, per CBS. Basketball Reference has them dead last in turnover rate, too.
Now look at who’s not walking through the door. Brandon Ingram (heel surgery), Bradley Beal (knee), Isaiah Jackson (groin), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (foot) and Jordan Miller (shoulder) are all out on the official injury report. That’s a thin rotation leaning heavily on Garland, Rui Hachimura and Brook Lopez, and it shows on both ends. LA ranks 25th in offensive efficiency and 21st on defense.
The Pelicans pick pockets, and they do it in waves
New Orleans started 0-4, then won four straight before Minnesota beat them Friday. The formula has been depth. First-year Pelicans coach Jamahl Mosley keeps calling it “a by-committee team,” and the Pelicans’ bench has been outscoring opponents nearly every night, per the team’s site. Five different players have racked up steals in bunches during the winning streak, and New Orleans sits ninth in forcing turnovers by rate.
That’s the whole matchup in one sentence: the team that can’t hold onto the ball is hosting a deep, fast team that loves to take it. The Pelicans play the fourth-fastest pace in the league, and live-ball turnovers are exactly how Zion Williamson gets a head of steam. New Orleans is a league-average outfit on both ends right now, which is still a clear step above this version of the Clippers on each side of the floor.
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The case against me
The schedule favors LA. The Clippers haven’t played since Wednesday, while New Orleans played Friday and has Golden State on Monday, the back end of a California back-to-back. The Pelicans also faded late against Minnesota, leading inside the final eight minutes before getting outscored 38-30 in the fourth. Yves Missi is still out with a knee bone bruise, and Mosley himself warned the Clippers bring “length, size at the rim and aggressive defense.” And Lue’s teams don’t stay in a ditch forever. A blown lead or two from now, this is the night the Clippers finally close one out.
I just need a better team to win by two. Until LA proves it can protect the ball for 48 minutes, I’m not betting on that night being tonight.
Projected score: Pelicans 117, Clippers 111
The Pick: Pelicans -1.5 (-110)
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