Free NBA Picks Today: New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards 1/28/23

Free NBA Picks Today: New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards 1/28/23
Sat 28th January 2023

The New Orleans Pelicans (26-23, 17-8 Home) will try to overcome one of the league’s top shooting defenses when they play host to the Washington Wizards (22-26, 10-16 Away) on Saturday. Washington beat the Houston Rockets 108-103 at Toyota Center on Wednesday, their fourth win in a row.

Kyle Kuzma was a top performer with 33 points and nine rebounds. The Wizards are 11th in the Eastern Conference. New Orleans dropped their sixth in a row on Wednesday at Smoothie King Center, falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-102. CJ McCollum had 25 points and eight assists in defeat, carrying the team. The Pelicans are the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

The teams are meeting for the final time this season. New Orleans will be looking for a season sweep against Washington after coming out on top in the only prior matchup 132-112 at Capital One Arena on January 9. McCollum led the Pelicans with 34 points. Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 10 rebounds in defeat.

Kuzma and Porzingis, averaging 22.2 and 22.1 points per game, respectively, have led the Wizards in scoring this season. Porzingis also has grabbed 8.8 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Monte Morris is dishing 5.4 assists per game. McCollum has powered the Pels’ offense, averaging 21.2 points per game.

McCollum also has doled out 5.8 assists per game. Jonas Valanciunas has averaged 9.9 rebounds per game. The Wizards rank as one of the stingiest FG% defenses in the NBA, holding foes to to a fifth-lowest rate of 46.4%. The Wizards have had the advantage in recent trips to Smoothie King Center, winning six of the last 10.

Washington is pursuing a fourth consecutive win away from home this season. New Orleans is looking to avoid a fifth consecutive home loss this season. Washington is 5-5 in the last 10 games with an average margin of -2.0 (115.0-117.0).

New Orleans has gone 2-8 over the last 10, allowing 114.4 points per game on average while scoring only 108.6 (-5.8 margin). The Pelicans are averaging 115.3 ppg for the full season while allowing 113.1.

WIZARDS HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points per game:
Monte Morris: 13.3 | 10.4 | +2.9
Rebounds per game:
Kyle Kuzma: 9.6 | 7.6 | +2.0

PELICANS HOT/COLD

(Last Five | Season Average | Differential)
Points per game:
Brandon Ingram: 13.0 | 20.3 | -7.3

SportsTips’ NBA Pick:

NO Pelicans (-200)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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