New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers Prediction NBA (Mar 1, 2026)

The New Orleans Pelicans visit the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026 at Intuit Dome in a matchup between two teams heading in opposite directions. New Orleans enters 18-42 (7-21 away) on a three-game winning streak, while the Clippers are 27-31 (14-13 home) and have dropped three straight. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Los Angeles the edge at home, and the Clippers also lead the season series 1-0 after a 126-124 win in the first meeting.

Pelicans vs Clippers quick snapshot

The surface numbers show why this game is interesting. New Orleans scores more and rebounds better, but the Clippers defend at a much higher level.

These team stats and the predictor are from ESPN’s game page.

Injury report and rotation impact

Availability is the biggest swing factor in this game. ESPN lists Trey Murphy III out (shoulder) and Dejounte Murray out (rest) for New Orleans, with Yves Missi a game-time decision. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins, and Darius Garland are all game-time decisions, while Bradley Beal is out for the season.

That matters because Murphy is New Orleans’ listed scoring leader at 22.1 points per game, while Leonard is the Clippers’ leader at 28.0 points per game. If Kawhi plays, the Clippers get the best late-clock scorer in the matchup. If he sits, this becomes much more volatile.

Matchup keys that decide the game

1) Can New Orleans keep this offensive surge going?

The Pelicans just beat Utah 129-118, with Saddiq Bey scoring 42 points, Zion Williamson adding 20, and Dejounte Murray posting 17 points and 9 assists. That was their third straight win, and it showed real scoring balance. The problem is that Murray is now listed out for this Clippers game, which changes the playmaking setup significantly.

2) Clippers defense vs Pelicans shot creation

The Clippers have the better defensive baseline, allowing 112.2 points per game compared with 120.3 allowed by New Orleans. That gap is important because the Pelicans have been winning recently by simply outscoring teams. Against a better defensive structure, especially on the road, that becomes harder to repeat.

3) Home court and recent game flow

Los Angeles has lost three straight, but those losses came against Orlando, the Lakers, and Minnesota, and two of them were tight. New Orleans, meanwhile, has won three in a row but is still only 7-21 away from home. That road split is a major reason to be cautious about overrating the Pelicans’ recent surge.

What the first meeting suggests

The Clippers already beat the Pelicans 126-124 in the first meeting, so they have shown they can survive New Orleans’ scoring bursts in this matchup. With the season series at 1-0 and this game again being played in Inglewood, Los Angeles has the clearer situational edge.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers prediction

New Orleans is in better form, but the injury situation cuts into that momentum. With Murphy out and Murray also listed out, the Pelicans lose too much perimeter scoring and organization. The Clippers have their own injury questions, but if Leonard plays, Los Angeles has the best player in the game and the stronger defensive foundation at home.

Prediction: Clippers 114, Pelicans 108. The Clippers’ edge is home court, defense, and the more reliable late-game shot creation if Kawhi is available.