76ers vs. Pelicans Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for December 30 (Stars Come to Play at Smoothie King Center)

76ers vs. Pelicans Game Info

• Date: Friday, December 30, 2022
• Time: 8:30 PM ET
• Venue: Smoothie King Center -- New Orleans, LA
• Coverage: NBCSP and BSNO

The 2022-23 NBA season continues on Friday with eight more games, including a battle between the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans. The 76ers rank fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 20-13 record, while the Pelicans check in first in the Western Conference with a superb 22-12 record.

Philadelphia saw its eight-game winning streak snapped in a 116-111 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday. Meanwhile, New Orleans extended their winning streak to four games in a row thanks to a 119-118 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Which playoff threat will win tonight?

76ers vs. Pelicans Odds & Spread

• All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: PHI: (-116) | NOP: (-102)
• Spread: PHI: -1 (-110) | NOP: +1 (-110)
• Total: 229.5 -- Over: (-112) | Under: (-108)

The 76ers enter this contest as slight road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 8:30 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 229.5 points, which is about average compared to Friday's projected totals.

76ers vs. Pelicans Betting Trends

• Philadelphia is 7-1 straight up in its last eight games against New Orleans.
• The total has hit the over in eight of Philadelphia's last 11 games.
• New Orleans is 13-7 against the spread (ATS) in its last 20 games on a Friday.
• The total has hit the under in 10 of New Orleans' last 15 games against Philadelphia.

76ers vs. Pelicans Prediction & Pick

The 76ers may get a boost to their lineup on Friday night. Third-year pro Tyrese Maxey is on pace to make his return from a foot injury and suit up against the Pelicans. He was averaging 22.9 points, 4.4 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game before going down. Maxey also brings unique excitement to Philly.

It's worth noting Philadelphia thrives in one area of the game in which New Orleans does not. These teams rank first and second when it comes to opponent three-point shooting percentage. The 76ers rank fifth in three-point shooting percentage, though, at 38.0%. The Pelicans only rank 13th (36.7%).

This one will be close, but I'll side with a 76ers squad that is 7-1 straight up in its last eight games against New Orleans.

Final Score Prediction: 76ers: 119 | Pelicans: 117

76ers vs. Pelicans Best Bet

While these teams are capable of winning games with defense, that hasn't been the case lately. Philly has allowed an opponent shooting percentage of 48.0% in its last three games (No. 17 in NBA) and New Orleans has allowed an average of 56.7 points in the paint in its last three games (No. 26 in NBA).

Bettors looking to get in on the action should back the over. The total has hit the over in six of the Pelican's last seven games and in eight of the 76ers' last 11 games. The over has cashed in five of Philadelphia's last six road games, too. Look for stars like Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson to ball out.

Bet: Over 229.5 Points (-112)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.