New Orleans vs Nets Prediction 12 November 2026

The Pelicans started the season with four straight defeats, then unexpectedly won four games, but could not build on that run. Jamahl Mosley’s team are now on another losing streak, and their last two games have been particularly poor. First, New Orleans allowed the Clippers to score 139 points, then they were thrashed by Golden State (87-138). The 51-point margin was the club’s biggest defeat in a regular-season game. Returning home should help the players psychologically, but a change of venue alone is clearly not enough after such a heavy loss.

The Pelicans’ main problem is the huge imbalance between offence and defence. They score an average of 117.5 points, placing them among the NBA’s top ten in scoring, but also concede 122.4. Opponents regularly get chances to launch fast breaks and find open shots. With Zion Williamson returning after a rest and Trey Murphy likely to play, their attacking potential should improve, but changes to the line-up are unlikely to fix the defence immediately. New Orleans are capable of putting together a scoring run, but for now they struggle to hold a lead throughout a game.

The Nets remain among the Eastern Conference’s main strugglers, with just two wins in ten games. Jordi Fernandez’s team have been particularly poor on the road, losing five of their six away games. Brooklyn have not always looked hopeless, though. In Boston, they lost by just one point (124-125), while in Atlanta they finished one made shot short of forcing overtime (121-124). There have also been complete collapses, such as the recent heavy defeat to Dallas (93-130). These swings in performance are what keep the Nets near the bottom of the standings.

Brooklyn’s offence relies heavily on individual plays from Michael Porter Jr., who averages 21.5 points. The problem is that his teammates do not always support him: the team shoot just 43% from the field and commit 18.1 turnovers per game. That leaves them averaging a modest 106.7 points, one of the lowest figures in the league. Against New Orleans, however, the visitors may have more room to operate. The Pelicans’ defence gives opponents plenty of space, and the Nets have already shown they can compete with stronger teams. The key is to avoid the prolonged slumps that regularly undo their good stretches.