New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings Picks and Predictions for Thursday March 5 2026

By: Kim Smith Published 03/05/2026, 12:40 AM ET

The New Orleans Pelicans travel to face the Sacramento Kings on Thursday March 5, 2026 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:00 PM ET and the game will be broadcast on GCSEN. At the time of this writing the odds were not released for the moneyline, total, or spread. Be sure to also check out our free NBA picks for more daily NBA betting insights and predictions.

Pelicans Hoping to Continue Recent Offensive Production

The New Orleans Pelicans enter this matchup with a 19-44 overall record and have struggled away from home this season with an 8-23 road record. New Orleans has gone 3-2 in their last five games, recently losing to the Los Angeles Lakers 110-101 and losing to the Los Angeles Clippers 137-117. The Pelicans did pick up wins recently over the Utah Jazz twice by scores of 115-105 and 129-118, and also defeated the Golden State Warriors 113-109.

New Orleans averages 115.1 points per game while allowing 120.2 points per contest. The Pelicans shoot 46% from the field and average 43.9 rebounds per game while distributing 25.1 assists per contest.

One area where the Pelicans have been effective is creating defensive pressure. New Orleans averages 8.8 steals per game, which helps generate fast-break opportunities and quick scoring chances.

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Kings Trying to Stop Defensive Struggles

The Sacramento Kings come into this matchup with a 14-49 overall record and a 9-21 home record. Sacramento has struggled throughout the season and has gone 2-3 in their last five games. The Kings recently lost to the Phoenix Suns 114-103 and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 128-104. However, Sacramento did pick up wins over the Dallas Mavericks 130-121 and the Memphis Grizzlies 123-114, while also losing to the Houston Rockets 128-97.

Sacramento averages 110.3 points per game while allowing 121.1 points per contest. The Kings shoot 46% from the field and average 41.7 rebounds per game while contributing 25.2 assists per contest.

One of the biggest issues for Sacramento has been their defense. The Kings allow over 121 points per game, which has made it difficult for them to remain competitive even in games where their offense performs well.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Sacramento Kings Pick

Pelicans vs Kings Pick

Pick: New Orleans Pelicans Spread

New Orleans appears to have the edge in this matchup despite their overall record. The Pelicans have shown more recent offensive consistency and have been able to score effectively against weaker defenses. With Sacramento allowing over 121 points per game, New Orleans should be able to find plenty of scoring opportunities in this matchup.

Pelicans vs Kings Total Pick

Pick: Take the Over

I like the over in this matchup because both teams have struggled defensively throughout the season. The Pelicans allow over 120 points per game while the Kings allow even more. With both teams capable of scoring but struggling to defend consistently, this game has the potential to turn into a high-scoring contest.

Final Score Prediction: Pelicans 118, Kings 112

This prediction was written before the completion of game play on Wednesday.