Lakers vs. Pelicans – Preview
Tuesday, 8:00pm ET • Smoothie King Center
Our Pick: Lakers -5.5

Tonight, January 6 (8:00 PM ET) at the Smoothie King Center, the Los Angeles Lakers (22–11) hit the road to face the New Orleans Pelicans (8–29), with L.A. laying -5.5. 

Start with the splits: the Lakers have been excellent away from home (12–5), while the Pelicans have struggled in their own building (6–16).  That matters for a spread: L.A. travels with spacing, shot creation, and enough stops to separate late.

The clearest statistical edge is on the defensive end. ESPN’s team stats list the Lakers at 117.3 points scored per game while allowing 117.2; New Orleans is scoring 115.2 but surrendering 123.1 per game.  A team that gives up 123+ a night doesn’t have much margin for error against a favorite that can string together runs.

The trend line is also pointing in one direction. The Pelicans enter on a seven-game losing streak (L7), while the Lakers have won two straight (W2).  And we’ve already seen this matchup favor L.A. this season: the Lakers beat the Pelicans 133–121 in their last meeting on November 30. 

Injuries are worth tracking, but the bigger absences land on New Orleans. The NBA’s official injury report lists Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves out for the Lakers, with Gabe Vincent doubtful; the Pelicans are without Dejounte Murray and Saddiq Bey, and have Herbert Jones questionable.  If Jones can’t go at full strength, New Orleans’ point-of-attack defense takes another hit—exactly where the Lakers want to apply pressure with downhill drives and pick-and-roll actions that create clean looks at the rim and corner threes.

Matchup-wise, the Lakers’ path to covering is straightforward: get organized early, keep turnovers down, and make the Pelicans defend multiple actions in the half court. When New Orleans goes cold, L.A. can stretch leads with controlled tempo and disciplined shot selection.

Finally, recent game-level production backs the favorite: ESPN’s preview notes New Orleans’ opponents have averaged 124.0 points over the Pelicans’ last 10 games.  If that defensive trend holds, the Lakers don’t need a perfect offensive night—just a steady, professional performance.