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The New Orleans Pelicans look to win their second game in a row against one of the worst teams in the league, the Washington Wizards. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Pelicans-Wizards prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Pelicans nearly made the NBA in-season tournament championship game, as they made it to the final four in Las Vegas. Many believed that Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram were finally figuring it out. However, a 133-89 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the semi-finals had the opposite effect. Zion was heavily scrutinized during the Lakers game as fans and the media roasted his lack of conditioning. The semi-finals were supposed to be the Pelicans coming out party. However, Zion's struggles were just brought to a more national audience.
You know a team is struggling when they are just one game better than a 20-game losing streak team. The Wizards are 29th in the league with a 3-19 record, thanks to winning the battle of the two worst teams on November 27th against the Detroit Pistons. It can be argued that they may be in the worst form, as the Pistons are starting to figure out their rotations and get better contributions from their young players. The Jordan Poole experiment hasn't generated the best results, as he is just averaging 16.7 points per game with an average floor time of 29:02. The Wizards believed Poole would flourish out of the shadow of Stephen Curry, but that has proven to be the wrong move.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Pelicans-Wizards Odds
New Orleans Pelicans: -7.5 (-108) ML (-290)
Washington Wizards: +7.5 (-112) ML (+235)
Over: 241.5 (-110)
Under: 241.5 (-110)
How to Watch Pelicans vs. Wizards
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
Article Continues Below
TV: Bally Sports
Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Pelicans Could Cover The Spread
The Pelicans heard all the noise after losing to the Lakers, and they had a point to prove Monday night. The Pelicans took out their frustrations on the Minnesota Timberwolves. They beat the Timberwolves 121-107, improving their record to 13-11. Zion Williamson had 36 points, one of the best performances of his NBA career. CJ McCollum added 23 points. The Pelicans' win over the best team in the NBA made a statement, but a loss to the Wizards on Wednesday night will erase all the good fortune. The Pelicans should be just as motivated in this game, as a blowout win over the Wizards will show that the Pelicans should be on the list of the best teams in the NBA.
The makeup of the Wizards right now makes this a perfect matchup for the Pelicans. The Wizards are getting dominated on the inside, and if Williamson is still on a mission, that will be trouble for the Wizards defense. The Wizards are 30th in the league in points allowed, field goal percentage allowed, and rebounding. Williamson has the potential to dominate in the paint tonight, and if they do emphasize stopping him, he now has Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum knocking down shots from the outside.
Why The Wizards Could Cover The Spread
The world fell in love with the Pelicans leading up to the NBA in-season tournament semi-final. Everyone thought Zion Williamson and the Pelicans were finally arriving in the league. The Pelicans came out for the game and put up an absolute dud. Williamson crumbled under the pressure of the semi-final, and none of his teammates gave him any support. The Lakers ran away with the game in the third quarter, as we may not see an uglier quarter from a team this season. If the Pelicans couldn't get up for the in-season tournament semi-final, who says they can't put up a stinker on Wednesday night in Washington?
It's easy to show up against the top team in the league after getting criticized all weekend in the media. There isn't a lot of confidence right now that the Pelicans will keep it up going forward. This matchup will say a lot about the mindset of the Pelicans. If you think the Pelicans aren't real, take the Wizards to keep this game close.
Final Pelicans-Wizards Prediction & Pick
Neither of these teams deserves confidence from bettors. The Wizards are arguably the worst team in the league, with a fellow team with a 20-game losing streak. The Wizards will likely be the 30th-ranked team at the end of the season. Their mediocre defense shows no signs of improving, as they are ranked last in points allowed, field goal percentage allowed, and rebounding. Zion Willamson should feast in this matchup and is the more likely scenario. However, bettors will hold their breaths, hoping the Pelicans can show up.
The thing about this spread is that the Wizards have been performing so terribly that the Pelicans could go through the motions and still cover the 7.5. The Wizards lost by 45 points to the 76ers and 27 points to the Nets in two straight games. If that trend continues, you should feel confident backing the Pelicans.
Final Pelicans-Wizards Prediction & Pick: Pelicans -7.5 (-108)
