Pelicans vs Lakers Picks and Prediction – 4/5/2025

The New Orleans Pelicans looked to bounce back from a loss with a victory on the road Friday when visiting the Los Angeles Lakers. New Orleans is 21-55 and has been eliminated from postseason contention. New Orleans lost to the LA Clippers 114-98 on Wednesday. New Orleans has lost four of the last six and the Pelicans announced on Tuesday that Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum would not play the final seven games of the regular season. Keep up to date with all the NBA action with our NBA previews.

New Orleans is playing without its top five scores, who average between 17.5 and 24.6 points per game. The leading active scorer is Jordan Hawkins, who averages 10.8 points per game, while Brandon Boston is second, averaging 10.7 points per game. Yves Missi is the leading rebounder, averaging 8.1 rebounds per game and Jose Alvarado is the leader in assists, averaging 4.6 per game. 

The Los Angeles Lakers will complete a back-to-back on Friday when hosting the New Orleans Pelicans after playing at home on Thursday night versus the Golden State Warriors. Los Angeles is 46-29 and third in the Western Conference, but just percentage points ahead of fourth-place Denver. Los Angeles defeated the Houston Rockets 104-98 on Monday night and has won three of the last four.

Luka Doncic leads Los Angeles in scoring and rebounding, averaging 27.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. LeBron James is second in scoring and the leader in assists, averaging 24.4 points and 8.4 assists per game. Los Angeles has four active players averaging double figures in scoring. Los Angeles scores an average of 113.1 points per game, shooting 47.8% overall and 36.1% from 3-point territory.

The Los Angeles Lakers will win on Friday when hosting the New Orleans Pelicans, but New Orleans will play well enough to cover the number. New Orleans has covered the number in four of its last six. Los Angeles has failed to cover the number in five of its last seven. Los Angeles will be playing the back-half of a back-to-back and has much more pressure battling for a high-seed in the postseason, while New Orleans is pressure-free as they are eliminated from playoff contention. Final Score Prediction, Los Angeles Lakers win but fall short ATS 114-112.