The New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards meet for the second time in three days, with the Pelicans coming off their first win in nearly a month and the Wizards extending their road losing streak to 12 games. Can New Orleans keep the momentum going and secure their first consecutive wins since October while ending their own record-tying road losing skid?
What to Watch For
McCollum’s Scoring Tear
CJ McCollum reminded the entire NBA he’s been one of the most consistent scorers in the league, dropping 10 three-pointers on 16 attempts Friday night. Over his last four games, McCollum is averaging 34.3 points on 57% shooting from the field and 51% from three. The Pelicans’ veteran has been carrying the offense as of late, with 10 20-point games since returning from injury on Nov. 25. If McCollum stays hot, Washington could be in for another long night.
The Injury Report
The Pelicans injury outlook hasn’t changed much, with Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Karlo Matkovic out again. However, Dejounte Murray is questionable with elbow soreness, which could mean a much bigger role for Jose Alvarado, who just played his first game back from a hamstring injury on Friday.
The Wizards might be without leading scorer Jordan Poole. Poole is questionable after suffering a hip injury in the second half against the Pelicans, as is second-year defensive standout Bilal Coulibaly. Forwards Saddiq Bey (ACL) and Marvin Bagley III (knee) remain out indefinitely.
Rookies Ready to Rumble
Yves Missi continues his impressive rookie season, coming off his eighth double-double for the Pelicans. The first-year center leads New Orleans in total minutes played. Washington’s rookies, Alex Sarr (11.9 pts, 6.3 reb, 1.7 blk) and Bub Carrington (9.0 pts, 4.3 reb, 4.0 ast), are in the top four on the Wizards in minutes. They’ll have big roles to play in deciding which team walks away with the win.
Valuing the Basketball
The Pelicans tied their season-low with eight turnovers against the Wizards on Friday. New Orleans is 2-1 this season when they commit fewer than 10 turnovers, and their one loss was by five points to the San Antonio Spurs. Taking it a bit further, the Pelicans are 6-12 in games where they commit 15 turnovers or less, and 0-17 when they give it away 16 times or more. On the flip side, the Pels forced the Wizards to turn it over 21 times, improving to 3-2 when they’ve generated 20 or more turnovers. The win over Washington was the first time the Pelicans reached both milestones in the same game. If they can duplicate the feat, the Pelicans likely gain win number seven.
Bottom Line
For the Pelicans, this game represents a chance to win back-to-back contests for the first time since October and to break their 15-game road losing streak, tied for the worst in franchise history. The Wizards, who have won just five games in “The District” this season, will need a much better defensive effort to beat the Pels.
If CJ McCollum stays hot and the Pelicans can take care of the basketball, they should leave D.C. with another win. But consistency remains a question mark for New Orleans, one they’ll try to answer on Sunday evening.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| Miami Heat | New Orleans Pelicans |
| G – Bub Carrington | G – Dejounte Murray |
| G – Jordan Poole | G – CJ McCollum |
| F – Justin Champagnie | F – Herb Jones |
| F – Kyle Kuzma | F – Trey Murphy |
| C – Alex Sarr | C – Yves Missi |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Dejounte Murray (right elbow soreness) is QUESTIONABLE. Brandon Ingram (left ankle sprain), Karlo Matkovic (low back disc protrusion), and Zion Williamson (left hamstring strain) are OUT.
Washington Wizards: Bilal Coulibaly (non-Covid illness) and Jordan Poole (hip contusion) are QUESTIONABLE. Marvin Bagley III (right knee sprain) and Saddiq Bey (left knee ACL surgery) are OUT.
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (6–29) vs Washington Wizards (6-26)
Season Series:
- Jan. 3: Pelicans def. Wizards, 132-120
- Jan. 5: Pelicans at Wizards
Series History: The Pelicans are 22-24 all-time against the Washington Wizards and have won five of their last six against the Wizards. New Orleans swept the series last season.
Where: Capital One Arena
When: Jan. 5, 5:00 PM CST
Where to watch: Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, Pelicans+
Where to listen: WWL Radio 870 AM
For more content, visit HITP Sports on YouTube or HITP Sports online.
READ MORE
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