Wizards vs. Pelicans Odds, Picks
| Wizards odds | +7.5 [BET NOW] |
| Pelicans odds | -7.5 [BET NOW] |
| Moneyline | +245/-305 [BET NOW] |
| Over/Under | 233.5 [BET NOW] |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBA League Pass |
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The Wizards enter this game effectively eliminated from the playoff race, while the Pelicans are in a bit of trouble after dropping three of their first four bubble games.
Will Washington get its first win or will the Pelicans inch closer to the playoffs?
Washington Wizards
The Wizards are exactly 50% ATS this season at 33-33-2, but they're 1-3 in the bubble. They easily have the worst Net Rating in the bubble at -10.3. They have the second-worst eFG% and have struggled to contain anyone defensively. It hasn't been pretty.
They make enough 3-pointers that they can keep this close, but they need to get out in transition to make their offense run properly. The Wizards scored the ninth-most points per 100 transition possessions this season.
The Wizards have been fun to watch even without any wins because of the young talent they are showcasing. Troy Brown and Thomas Bryant look like they're making progress playing against these better opponents.
Bryant is averaging 19.8 points and 10.3 boards per game in the bubble, and perhaps more importantly he's started taking more 3-pointers, which will really help his value to this team moving forward.
New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans were a public favorite to make the Western Conference play-in game and secure the 8-seed. But after a poor start, this is now a must-win game.
They have the third-worst Net Rating in the bubble and have struggled to effectively shoot the basketball, posting a poor 52.8% eFG%.
They've absolutely struggled with Zion Williamson off the court; he's been very important to their offense even with the minutes limit. On the season, the Pelicans have been 9.4 points per 100 possessions better than with him off. They really need him, and he was able to play just 21 minutes last night in a really tough loss to the Kings.
The Pels haven't announced anything about Zion's minutes for this back-to-back, but that's definitely something to monitor.
Betting Analysis & Pick
The Pelicans get to the rim at the eighth-highest rate in the league, and the Wizards have the third-worst rim defense, per Cleaning the Glass. Additionally, the Pelicans shoot the fourth-best percentage overall from 3-point range, and the Wizards are fourth-worst preventing those shots. It's a good matchup for New Orleans on paper.
This is an absolute must-win for the Pelicans, and I think they secure this victory and cover over the (basically) eliminated Wizards. But again, be sure to track Zion's status, as his minutes will be very important to this line.
The PICK: Pelicans -6
[Bet $20+ on the Pelicans at PointsBet and Win $125 if they make at least one 3-pointer]
