The NBA action opens a new week with a six-game slate on Monday, January 9, and here you can check out the best Pelicans vs. Wizards betting pick and odds.

Both New Orleans and Washington are hoping to avoid the third straight defeat when they meet at Capital One Arena. The Wizards are slight -1.5 favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 228.5 points. These inter-conference rivals have faced twice last year, and each time the home side won.

Pelicans couldn’t stop Doncic in Dallas

The New Orleans Pelicans (24-16, 20-20-0 ATS) opened their five-game road trip with a 127-117 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. It was the second defeat in a row for the Pelicans, who couldn’t stop Luka Doncic from registering another triple-double, and it seemed that they lost the game in the first quarter, which they lost by 19. New Orleans made just five three-pointers opposite Dallas’ 13 and that also made a difference.

Jonas Valanciunas led the Pels with a double-double of 25 points and game-high ten rebounds. Naji Marshall chipped in a career-high 24 points, four assists, and three steals, Herbert Jones had 16 points, six boards, and game-high five thefts, while Jose Alvarado added 14 points, a team-high seven dishes, and five rebounds.

SF Brandon Ingram (toe) and PF Zion Williamson (hamstring) are out indefinitely. PF Larry Nance Jr. (shoulder) is questionable to face Washington on Monday.

Wizards’ poor first half cost them in OKC

The Washington Wizards (17-23, 17-20-3 ATS) opened their four-game road trip with victories over the Orlando Magic and Milwaukee Bucks, but then they suffered a couple of losses to the Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The most recent defeat against the Thunder came because of a poor first half, which the Wizards lost by 26 points. Washington hit only seven triples opposite OKC’s 17 and committed twice as many turnovers (20-10). Also, the Thunder were better in assists (30-21) and blocks (6-2). Washington will now begin a four-game homestay with a game against New Orleans.

Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 23 points, team-high seven assists, and five rebounds. Daniel Gafford contributed 15 points and nine boards, Will Barton scored 14 points with four rebounds, while Kristaps Porzingis posted a double-double of 14 points and game-high ten boards.

SG Bradley Beal is idle due to a low-grade left hamstring strain, and he is not expected to return until at least the middle of January.

Trends:

New Orleans:

  • 1-4 ATS in the last five games overall
  • 2-7 ATS in the last nine games playing on one day of rest
  • 1-6 ATS in the last seven road games

Washington:

  • 5-2 ATS in the last seven games overall
  • 5-1-1 ATS in the last seven home games following a road trip of seven or more days

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Washington Wizards Pick

New Orleans somehow managed to play well without Brandon Ingram, but now with Williamson also sidelined, it’s going to be a rough period for the Pels in the next week or so until Ingram returns. Washington is without its best player Beal, but the Wizards can rely on Kuzma and Porzingis, and the Pelican’s road record of late (1-6) is making me back the home side in this one. New Orleans does have the fourth-best offense in the NBA which averages 117.1 points per game, but playing without the two top scorers is going to affect those numbers greatly. CJ McCollum, who was rested in the previous game, will be back on the floor and will boost the Pels’ chances, but I am still going with the Wizards.

Pick: Take the Wizards at -1.5 (-110)

The Total

The Pelicans scored 115+ points just twice in their previous five games, which is in correlation with the previous statement and the absence of Zion and Ingram. The offense suffers, while both teams have average defenses, so I don’t expect a high-scoring affair on Monday. Washington did allow 250 points in the last two games but played pretty well on defense recently. Under is 20-8 in the last 28 H2H meetings, while Under is 8-2 in the previous ten H2H duels in Washington.

Pick: Go Under 230.5 points (-130)