The Portland Trail Blazers will travel to the Crescent City to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night in a Western Conference contest. Both teams are well below the .500 mark this season and they will try to take advantage of this opportunity to beat another struggling opponent. Here, I break down this contest from New Orleans and make my Trail Blazers vs Pelicans prediction for Thursday's game.
Our Trail Blazers vs Pelicans Pick
- Pick: Trail Blazers -4.5
- Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Portland Trail Blazers @ New Orleans Pelicans
- Date & Time: Thursday, December 11, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Broadcast: NBA League Pass
Key Storylines
- The Pelicans are struggling mightily going into this game. They are 3-22 and have lost seven games in a row. New Orleans has the worst record in the Western Conference and the worst record in the NBA as a whole.
- Portland has lost two straight games and four of their last five outings overall. The Trail Blazers are allowing over 120 points per game on defense, as they have joined the Pelicans as one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA for the season.
- Both teams are dealing with some injury issues going into this contest. The Pelicans are without Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray, while Jordan Poole is questionable to take part in this matchup. The Trail Blazers are set to be without Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, and Matisse Thybulle. Robert Williams III is also questionable to take part in this matchup.
Head-to-Head & Betting Trends
- Portland won the first game between these teams this season by a score of 125-117 in New Orleans.
- The Pelicans are 14-10-1 against the spread so far this season.
- The Trail Blazers are 13-11 against the spread through their first 24 games this year.
- The over has hit in 15 of Portland's first 24 outings this season.
- The over is 15-10 in games featuring the Pelicans during the 2025-26 campaign.
Best Player Props to Watch
Player | Prop |
|---|
Deni Avdija | Over 26.5 Points |
Deni Avdija | First Basket |
Trey Murphy III | Under 22.5 Points |
Jerami Grant | Under 20.5 Points |
Trail Blazers vs Pelicans Model Projection
Score Projection: Trail Blazers 125 – Pelicans 117
Win Probability: Trail Blazers 43%, Pelicans 57%
Final Thoughts
I'm going to lay the points with the Portland Trail Blazers in this contest from New Orleans. The Pelicans have been losing their games by an average of over 10 points per game this season. Even if Jordan Poole does play in this game, I don't think it will be enough for them to get a win here. I'll back Portland to extend the losing streak of the Pels to eight games.
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