The Washington Wizards (3-10) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (5-10) Wednesday at the Smoothie King Center for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off. Below, we analyze the Wizards-Pelicans NBA odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Washington has lost two in a row after nearly a two-week layoff due to COVID-19 issues. The Wizards played without several key contributors in those two games and their offense tanked scoring only 94.5 points per game. Prior to the layoff, Washington covered five of its previous six games.
The Pelicans were terrible on their six-game road trip, winning only one and covering the spread twice. New Orleans has lost three in a row, all by double-digits, including Saturday’s 120-110 loss as an 8.5-point favorite to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are the only team in the West with fewer wins than the Pelicans.
Wizards at Pelicans: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:25 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Wizards +300 (bet $100 to win $300) | Pelicans -375 (bet $375 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Wizards +8.5 (-110) | Pelicans -8.5 (-110)
- Over/Under: 227.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Wizards at Pelicans: Key injuries
Wizards
- PF Deni Avdija (health and safety protocols) out
- PF Davis Bertans (health and safety protocols) out
- PF Rui Hachimura (COVID-19 protocols) out
- PG Raul Neto (groin) questionable
- PG Ish Smith (health and safety protocols) out
- C Moritz Wagner (health and safety protocols) out
- PG Russell Westbrook (rest) out
Pelicans
- None
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Wizards at Pelicans: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Pelicans 119, Wizards 107
Money line (ML)
PASS because even though I’m fairly certain New Orleans wins this game easily, the Pelicans’ money line (-375) is far too expensive.
Against the spread (ATS)
While New Orleans is and has been terrible defensively this season, the Pelicans are actually really good at defending what the Wizards do frequently.
According to CleaningTheGlass.com, Washington takes the second-most mid-range shots in the league and New Orleans is second in opponent’s mid-range shooting percentage. This makes sense because the three top active scorers for Washington—SG Bradley Beal, Westbrook and Hachimura—aren’t 3-point shooters.
Also, one of the few teams that play worse defense than New Orleans is Washington. The Wizards ranked 29th in defensive rating and opponent’s effective field-goal percentage and dead last in opponent’s free-throw attempt to field-goal attempt rate.
Similar to how Beal and the Wizards like to hoist mid-range shots, Pelicans SF Brandon Ingram, the team’s second leading scorer at 23.3 points per game, takes one of the highest rates of mid-range shots in the Association.
However, Ingram won last season’s Most Improved Player and is trending towards his second straight All-Star appearance and Washington is terrible defending mid-range shots. In fact, CleaningTheGlass.com has the Wizards ranked last in mid-range shooting percentage defense.
BET PELICANS -8.5 (-110) for 1 unit.
Over/Under (O/U)
Let’s fade the market and the obvious play by TAKING UNDER 227.5 (-110) for a half-unit. It’s more of a lean than a like because I could see Ingram and Beal going off against these poor defenses but, both teams aren’t buttoned-up enough offensively to capitalize on this. Also, it’ll take a couple of games for the returning Wizards to knock the rust off.
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Also see:
- Report: Pelicans receiving calls on Ball, open to trade (Lonzo Wire)
- Hoops Hype rumors: Wizards | Pelicans
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