New Orleans Pelicans @ Washington Wizards - January 5, 2025

As I prepare for the matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards, I can’t help but reflect on how these two teams have navigated a challenging season. Both franchises are struggling to find their footing, with recent performances leaving much to be desired. However, it’s in games like these where players can emerge and set the tone for future success.

The Pelicans come into this contest as -4-point favorites after having just defeated the Wizards 132-120 in their last outing. It’s crucial to understand that New Orleans has shown glimpses of potential offensively despite their dismal overall record of 6-29. Their scoring average of about 107 points per game may not jump off the page, but they are capable of putting up big numbers when they find rhythm. With a shooting percentage hovering around 44%, they can take advantage if they’re allowed open looks from the perimeter or near the rim.

Defensively, though, it’s a different story for both teams. The Pelicans allow roughly 106 points per game while forcing over nine steals and committing nearly 19 fouls on average—a recipe that often leads to foul trouble and opportunities at the charity stripe for opponents. Conversely, Washington has struggled mightily on defense as well, allowing about 109 points per game while being prone to turnovers—averaging over 16 giveaways each night.

While both teams feature an offense that struggles at times (Wizards averaging approximately 109 points per game), what stands out is their tendency to push towards higher-scoring games recently. This will be critical as we assess today’s predictions regarding point totals.

From a strategic perspective, you can expect New Orleans to capitalize on its home-court advantage and continue exploiting mismatches created by using pick-and-rolls effectively while looking for shooters along the arc. If they can penetrate inside against Washington’s porous interior defense without drawing too many fouls themselves, they’ll likely cover that spread comfortably.

Meanwhile, Washington will need a miracle performance or a spark from someone unexpected if they’re going to even keep this close let alone secure an upset victory tonight. They have been woeful with just six wins so far this season and haven’t fared well against New Orleans historically—they’re merely +2-4 against them in recent matchups.

So here’s my prediction: I see the Pelicans taking this one decisively while covering that four-point spread; however, I believe we’ll witness a lower-scoring affair than anticipated given both team’s offensive struggles throughout previous outings—expecting it to dip below that opening total of 235.5.

In summary: expect New Orleans’ slight edge in team dynamics combined with better execution on offense will lead them past Washington tonight—as long as they remain vigilant defensively and control their turnovers effectively during crunch time!