LA Clippers vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction: Who Wins Contest In the Crescent City?
Updated March 18, 2026
Updated March 18, 2026
The Los Angeles Clippers head to New Orleans on Wednesday night for a Western Conference meeting with the Pelicans, a game that carries weight for two teams trying to move things in the right direction. The Clippers are looking to end a short losing streak to help their play-in tournament prospects, while the Pelicans are trying to simply continue building momentum late in the season. Before tip-off from New Orleans, you will find my Clippers vs Pelicans prediction right here.
The Clippers enter this contest after a tight loss to San Antonio, a game where their offense showed promise but defensive lapses proved costly late. Los Angeles has been competitive lately, winning several recent games prior to that setback, and remains dangerous when its primary scorers are active.
New Orleans, meanwhile, is trending upward with multiple wins in recent outings, including a strong offensive showing in a blowout victory over Dallas. The Pelicans have been pushing the tempo effectively, which has translated into higher scoring outputs. Their ability to maintain that pace against a Clippers team that prefers a slower rhythm will be a deciding factor.
Another key storyline revolves around health. The Clippers have dealt with absences, including Kawhi Leonard in their most recent game, and his status impacts both scoring output and defensive intensity. Leonard is questionable to compete in this matchup for the Clippers. The Pelicans have also rotated contributors, but their depth has stepped up in recent games, while the health of Zion Williamson and Dejounte Murray has helped them tremendously.
New Orleans Pelicans
Los Angeles Clippers
Stat | Clippers | Pelicans |
|---|---|---|
Points per game | 113.5 | 115.6 |
Points allowed per game | 112.7 | 119.7 |
Field Goal % | 48% | 47% |
Rebounds per game | 40.7 | 44.2 |
Assists per game | 23.6 | 25.1 |
Past meetings this season
ATS records
The numbers point toward a competitive game, but I lean toward the Pelicans winning and covering the spread as a slight favorite at home. New Orleans has improved dramatically as the season has gone on and some of their key contributors have returned to action. And with Leonard, Garland, and Mathurin all dealing with injuries of some kind for the Clippers, I'll lay the 1.5 points with the Pels in this Western Conference matchup on Wednesday night.
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