Pelicans vs. Wizards Odds, Trends, Predictions

New Orleans Pelicans (24-16 SU, 20-20-0 ATS) vs. Washington Wizards (17-23 SU, 17-22-1 ATS)
When: Monday, January 9th, 7:00 PM (ET)
Where: Capital One Arena, DC, Washington
TV: NBC

Point Spread: NO +2/ WAS -2 (Did you know that you can bet on NBA games at -105 instead of -110? Find this killer offer at BetAnySports! We’ve advertised them for 13 years with ZERO complaints!)
Total: 228.5
Money Line: New Orleans Pelicans +107/ -129

Notable Injuries

Pelicans

• CJ McCollum (Out) Rest
• Larry Nance Jr. (Probable) Shoulder
• Brandon Ingram (Out) Toe
• Zion Williamson (Out) Hamstring
• EJ Liddell (Out) Knee

Wizards

• Bradley Beal (Out) Hamstring
• Johnny Davis (Out) Right Hip

Recent Form

Heading into the game, New Orleans is 24-16 overall. When taking to the road, New Orleans has a mark of 7-11 and a win percentage of 39%. Currently, the team is 3rd in the Western Conference. So far, they are 20-20-0 vs. the spread. New Orleans travels to take on the Wizards hoping to avoid their 3rd straight loss.

Most recently, New Orleans lost to the Mavericks by a score of 127-117. Jonas Valanciunas and his 25 points were not enough for the team to pull out a win as 9-point underdogs. The Pelicans also finished with an ATS loss in the game.

Heading into the game, Washington is 17-23 overall. When playing at home, Washington has a mark of 10-7 and a win percentage of 59%. Currently, the team is 11th in the Eastern Conference. So far, they are 17-22-1 vs. the spread. The Wizards need a win in today’s matchup vs. New Orleans to avoid their 3rd straight loss.

In their most recent matchup, the Thunder defeated Washington with a score of 127-110. Kyle Kuzma scored the most points for the team with 23, but it was not enough to earn the win. The Wizards were 1 point ahead going into the game.

The Historicals

In last season’s head-to-head matchups, the teams split the season series. In these games, each team won on their home floor. Similar to their season-long average, the Pelicans averaged 113.5 points per game vs. the Wizards. Just like the Pelicans, the Wizards maintained their usual level of scoring in head-to-head matchups, averaging 103.5 points per game vs. New Orleans. Over the last five head-to-head meetings, the Pelicans have averaged 116 points per game compared to 107 for Washington. This has led to an ATS record of 3-2 for New Orleans. Over the course of these games, they averaged 223 points per game, leading a 2-3 over-under record.

Analysis

This season, New Orleans is among the league leaders in scoring, averaging 117.1 points per game. So far, the Pelicans are also one of the more up-tempo teams in the league, sitting at 101.0 possessions per game. New Orleans heads into the game as one of the top 3-point shooting teams in terms of percentage. So far, they have hit 36.4% of their looks from deep. However, they are currently ranked just 26th in 3-point attempts per contest. On defense, the Pelicans allow an average of 110.28 points per game, placing them 13th in the league. So far, teams have shot 36.48% on their looks from outside vs. New Orleans. This figure places them 26th in 3-point shooting defense.

It’s important to note that the Pelicans will be without their top two scorers, Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum, for today’s game. This year, Williamson has been putting up 26.0 points per game, while McCollum has been averaging 20.4 points per game.

Coming into the game, Washington’s offense is ranked just 21st in scoring at 112.1 points per game. This has come while being the 17th-ranked unit in pace. So far, the Wizards are averaging 99.0 possessions per contest. Washington has struggled with their 3-point shot this season, as they are currently ranked just 22nd in 3-point shooting percentage at 34.3%. In addition, they are near the bottom of the league in attempts, at just 31.3 attempts per contest. On defense, the Wizards allow an average of 112.0 points per game, placing them 16th in the league. So far, teams have shot 35.92% on their looks from outside vs. Washington. This figure places them 21st in 3-point shooting defense.

Going into today’s game, Kyle Kuzma is the leading scorer for the Washington team, with an average of 21.4 points per game. This season, his field goal percentage is 46.1%. The team’s second top scorer is Kristaps Porzingis, who is averaging 21.9 points per game.

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Betting Trends

• The Pelicans are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games following a straight-up loss.
• The Pelicans are 2-7 ATS in their last nine games playing on one day’s rest.
• The Wizards are 3-1-1 ATS in their last five games after allowing more than 125 points in their previous game.
• The Wizards are 5-2 ATS in their last seven games overall.

Joes Pick To Cover The Spread

Neither of these teams is playing much defense as of late. I believe this game lands in the mid-230s so I am betting the OVER 228. Bet your NBA predictions for FREE this week by scoring a 100% real cash bonus on your first deposit of $100 to $300 when you use bonus promo code PREDICT100 at MyBookie Sportsbook!