Pelicans vs Cavaliers: Analysis of Odds, Picks, and Player Props for November 20th

• Coming off their first loss of the season last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers are back in action on Wednesday, hosting the New Orleans Pelicans
• The Pelicans are just 1-6 on the road this year and have the third-worst point differential in the entire NBA (-10.8)
• Below, see the Pelicans vs Cavaliers odds, picks, and player props to target on Nov. 20

Perfection is a thing of the past for the Cleveland Cavaliers (15-1, 8-0 home, 12-4 ATS), who suffered their first loss of the season last night to the NBA-champion Celtics in Boston (120-117) but moved to an NBA-best 12-4 against the spread as 5.5-point road underdogs. There’s no rest for the wondrous as the Cavs are back in action on Wednesday night, hosting the struggling New Orleans Pelicans (4-11, 1-6 away, 4-11 ATS) at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse at 7:40 pm ET. The Pelicans also played last night, getting routed by Dallas 132-91.

Pelicans vs Cavaliers Odds

With both teams playing their second game in as many nights, Cleveland is a massive 13.5-point favorite in Wednesday’s Pelicans vs Cavaliers odds. The Cavs are also -1000 moneyline chalk with the Pels at +600 to win straight-up. The game total is sitting at 221.5 in Wednesday’s NBA odds.

 Odds as of Nov. 20 at ESPN Bet. See SBD’s full list of PayPal betting sites. 

With injuries up and down the lineup, the Pelicans are operating with a skeleton crew of a roster for much of the season. Zion Williamson (22.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.3 APG) had been limited to just six games and is out indefinitely with a hamstring strain. CJ McCollum (18.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.0 APG) has played just four and remains sidelined by a thing injury.

Jordan Hawkins, Trey Murphy III, and Dejounte Murray – all among the team’s top-six scorers – have all missed at least seven games. Hawkins and Murray remain out while Murphy (15.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG) has played four of the last five and has no injury designation for Wednesday’s game.

With so many key contributors in and out – mostly out – of the lineup, the results have been predictable for the Pels. Since winning their first two games of the season (while still relatively healthy), the Pelicans have dropped 11 of their last 13. Eight of those 11 losses have been by double-digits, including a 132-91 embarrassment against the Mavericks last night.

NOLA vs CLE Player Props

NBA player props from DraftKings on Nov. 20. 

The Pelicans/Cavaliers player props show both teams’ star players – Brandon Ingram and Donovan Mitchell – at 24.5 points O/U. No other Pelicans player on the board has a total higher than 8.5, but there are several NOLA players missing from Wednesday’s props.

Pelicans vs Cavaliers Picks

• Pelicans +13.5 (-115)
• Ingram over 24.5 points (-125)

The Pelicans are a bad team at the moment. Head coach Willie Green doesn’t have a lot left to work with in terms of personnel, and he really hasn’t found a way to make the remaining pieces fit together in any way, shape, or form. But this is still a huge number against a tired team returning home after expending a ton of energy last night. Donovan Mitchell played 40 minutes last night, while Evan Mobley logged 38. And only eight Cavs players even saw the floor in the Celtics game, which saw Cleveland battle back from a 17-point halftime deficit to get within two in the fourth quarter.

Cleveland HC Kenny Atkinson would be wise not to ride his starters too hard tonight in a game the Cavs may have in hand early. I expect the Pelicans to make the score respectable by the end of the night, potentially winning the fourth quarter big against the end of Cleveland’s bench.

Sascha Paruk’s 2024-25 NBA betting record: 21-19 (+3.00 units). All wagers one unit unless stated otherwise. 

The New Orleans Pelicans will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 20th in what promises to be an exciting matchup between two talented teams. Both teams have had their fair share of ups and downs so far this season, but this game could be a turning point for either squad.

The Pelicans come into this game with a record of 5-10, while the Cavaliers are sitting at 8-7. Despite their losing record, the Pelicans have shown flashes of brilliance, particularly from their young star Zion Williamson. Williamson is averaging 21.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and he will be a key player to watch in this matchup.

On the other side, the Cavaliers have been led by the dynamic duo of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley. Garland is averaging 19.1 points and 8.3 assists per game, while Mobley is putting up 14.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game. The Cavaliers will look to these two players to lead them to victory against the Pelicans.

In terms of odds, the Cavaliers are currently favored to win this game by 4.5 points. The over/under for total points scored in the game is set at 214.5. Both teams have been inconsistent on defense this season, so it could be a high-scoring affair.

As for picks, it’s tough to predict a winner in this game. The Pelicans have the talent to pull off an upset, but the Cavaliers have been playing well recently. It could come down to which team executes better on both ends of the floor.

In terms of player props, keep an eye on Zion Williamson for the Pelicans. He has the ability to take over a game and could put up big numbers against the Cavaliers’ defense. For the Cavaliers, look for Darius Garland to have a big game. He has been playing at an All-Star level this season and could be the difference-maker for Cleveland.

Overall, this game between the Pelicans and Cavaliers has the potential to be a close and competitive matchup. Both teams have talented players who can make an impact, so it should be an exciting game to watch. Make sure to tune in on November 20th to see who comes out on top in this showdown between two promising teams.