Nuggets Ground Out Road Win as Pelicans Sputter in 104-91 Defeat

So much for rest advantages and pace dictating outcomes. Denver waltzed into New Orleans and controlled this one wire-to-wire, handing the Pelicans a 104-91 loss that made our Pelicans +4.5 pick look foolish from tipoff.

The supposed rest disadvantage? Irrelevant. Denver's road struggles at 84 PPG? Ancient history after they posted 104 on the board. The Nuggets never trailed in the second half and built enough cushion to cover the 4.5-point spread comfortably, turning what we projected as a coin-flip into a decisive road statement.

New Orleans' four days of rest produced nothing but rust. The Pelicans couldn't capitalize on their preferred faster tempo, managing just 91 points at home—a performance that suggests deeper offensive issues than a pace mismatch could solve. Denver's methodical approach won the possession battle where it mattered: on the scoreboard.

Credit the Nuggets for imposing their will despite the scheduling spot. They slowed the game down, executed in the halfcourt, and made New Orleans look ordinary on their own floor. Our read on situational edges was sound in theory, but basketball isn't played on spreadsheets. Denver simply wanted it more, and the 13-point margin tells you everything about which team showed up ready to compete.