New Orleans Pelicans vs. Cleveland Cavaliers January 16 Betting Preview

Two of the top teams in the NBA take the floor in Ohio when the New Orleans Pelicans (26-17, 9-12 away) battle the Cleveland Cavaliers (27-17, 18-4 home). The matchup is the first of two scheduled games between the two opponents this season.

What to Know - New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans has won two of its last three games, including a 116-110 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Monday’s matchup will be the Pelicans’ fifth-straight road contest. New Orleans is third in the Western Conference standings.

The Pelicans are fourth in scoring, averaging 117.3 points per game thanks to 48 percent shooting from the field and 36.5 percent shooting from the three-point line. On defense, New Orleans ranks 16th in the NBA allowing 113.3 points per game, 47.1 percent shooting from the floor and 34.1 percent shooting from deep.

Zion Williamson leads the Pelicans in scoring, pouring in 26.0 points per game over 29 games played. CJ McCollum is next on the team adding 21.2 ppg. New Orleans will be without the team’s third-leading scoring, Brandon Ingram, for Monday’s contest as Ingram continues to battle an injury.

The Pelicans are 22-21 against the spread this season and 9-12 ATS on the road. New Orleans is 9-3 ATS over their previous 12 games against the Cavaliers.

What to Know - Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers return home after a lengthy road swing against teams in the western-half of the United States. Cleveland finished 2-3 during the road trip, dropping their last matchup, 110-102 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Cavs sit fifth in the Eastern Conference. 

Offensively, the Cavs are 23rd in the league scoring 111.5 points per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor and 36 percent from beyond the arc. Cleveland’s defense tops the league, surrendering 107.0 ppg, 46.5 percent shooting from the field, and 36.6 percent from three.

Donovan Mitchell paces the Cavs offense, scoring 28.8 points per game. Darius Garland chips in 21.1 ppg, while Evan Mobley averages 14.4 ppg to round out Cleveland’s leading scoring trio. 

Cleveland sports a 21-20-3 record ATS and a 13-7-2 mark ATS on its home floor. The Cavs are 4-9 ATS over the last 13 matchups played in the month of January. 

The Pick Is In

Both teams come into Monday’s afternoon tilt well-rested. Cleveland will be glad to be back on its home floor and eager to get back into the win column. 

Missing Ingram will hurt the Pelicans on the offensive-side of the ball as they’ll have a tough time against the league’s top-scoring defense. Look for Mitchell to have a big game and the Cavs defense limit the Pelicans ability to score easy buckets. Cleveland pulls away late and covers the spread.

The Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -7