Washington Wizards vs New Orleans Pelicans Betting Pick & Prediction 1/3/25

At 8:00 ET, the 5-29 Pelicans (-264) will host the 6-25 Wizards (+217) in a non-conference matchup. The over/under line for the game is 233.

Currently on an 11 game losing streak, New Orleans is favored by 6.5 points. The game will be played at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Wizards +6.5

This game will be played at Smoothie King Center at 8:00 ET on Friday, January 3rd.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON WIZARDS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 133-120 in favor of the Wizards.
• Our projections have Jordan Poole finishing with 19 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists.
• From the field, we have the Wizards finishing with a field goal percentage of 44.6% and knocking down 15 threes.

Will Washington Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?

The Wizards improved to 6-25 on the season with a 125-107 win over the Bulls on Wednesday. Washington was +6 point underdogs at home but not only won, they covered the spread. The total points for the game were 232, falling short of the O/U line of 241.

Washington led 55-51 at halftime and pulled away in the 2nd half, outscoring Chicago 36-29 in the 3rd quarter and 34-27 in the 4th.

Jordan Poole knocked down 6 threes and finished with 30 points in the Wizards’ win over the Bulls, scoring 10 points in the 3rd quarter and another 8 in the 4th. Justin Champagnie also had a big 3rd quarter, scoring 10 of his 15 points in the period.

Washington hit 17 threes as a team, shooting 47.2% from beyond the arc and 49.5% overall. Jonas Valanciunas contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Corey Kispert added 13 points.

The Wizards’ defense held strong in their win over the Bulls, allowing 107 points while giving up 25 points in the 1st quarter and 26 in the 2nd. Washington allowed 29 points in the 3rd quarter and 27 in the 4th. Overall, the Bulls shot 44% from the field.

Washington did well defending the three, with the Bulls shooting 29% and making 14 threes. The Wizards sent the Bulls to the line 14 times, where they made 11 free throws. Washington finished with 34 defensive rebounds, allowing 8 offensive boards, and added 11 steals and 3 blocks.

Is A Home Victory Likely for Favored New Orleans?

The Pelicans dropped to 5-29 on the season after a 119-108 road loss to the Heat on Wednesday. New Orleans entered the game as +9 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total score of 227 points surpassed the over/under line of 220.5 by 6.5 points.

New Orleans went on an 11-0 run to extend their lead from 50-41 to 61-41, but the Heat responded by outscoring the Pelicans 34-25 in the 3rd quarter. Heading into the 4th quarter down 90-76, the Pelicans outscored Miami 32-29 in the final period but couldn’t close the gap.

In their 119-108 loss to the Heat, the Pelicans shot 50% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 9 threes at a 26.5% clip. Trey Murphy led the way with 34 points, knocking down 5 threes at 33.3% efficiency.

CJ McCollum added 22 points, shooting 56.2% from the field, while Brandon Boston contributed 14 points on 71.4% shooting. Murphy scored 12 points in the 1st quarter and 13 in the 2nd, while McCollum added 10 points in the 3rd and 8 in the 4th.

The Pelicans had a strong defensive 2nd quarter, allowing just 20 points, but they struggled in the 1st and 3rd quarters, giving up 36 and 34 points, respectively, in a 119-108 loss to the Heat. Overall, New Orleans allowed Miami to shoot 53% from the field.

From beyond the arc, the Pelicans gave up 14 threes on 41% shooting. They also sent the Heat to the free-throw line 21 times, where Miami converted 17. Defensively, New Orleans recorded 26 defensive rebounds, allowed 5 offensive boards, and finished with 4 steals and 7 blocks.