Washington Wizards vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction 3/8/2026 Today’s NBA Picks

The New Orleans Pelicans play host to the Washington Wizards at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday night. Here’s a Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans prediction. This article will include a Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans pick.

Washington Wizards Betting Preview 

The Washington Wizards have been in a real slump, as they’ve lost 10 of their last 12 games overall and they will be hoping to arrest a seven-game losing streak after getting beaten by the slumping Jazz in a 122-112 loss on Thursday. Julian Reese led the team with 18 points and 20 rebounds, Bilal Coulibaly added 17 points on seven of 10 shooting, and Leaky Black chipped in with 16 points.

As a team, the Wizards shot 47 percent from the field and 18 of 42 from the 3-point line as they failed to match the intensity of the Jazz from the start and were immediately put on the back foot after getting outscored by 37-23 in the first quarter. The Wizards ended up trailing by as many as 21 points before they finally went on a bit of a run in the third quarter to bring some respectability to the final score. 

New Orleans Pelicans Betting Preview 

Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans have cooled off from their four-game win streak, as they have dropped three of their last four games overall and they will be hoping to bounce back here after getting beaten by the Suns in a 118-116 road defeat on Friday. Trey Murphy III led the team with 22 points; Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey each scored 19 points, while Dejounte Murray tallied 15 points with eight rebounds and five assists.

As a team, the Pelicans shot 45 percent from the field and 10 of 28 from the 3-point line but they just left their run too late in this one, as they were trailing by 14 points in the fourth quarter before they finally got on a roll to cut the deficit to just two points before they ran out of time. 

Why the New Orleans Pelicans will win

• The Wizards have lost each of their last nine games against Western Conference opponents after losing as favorites.
• The Pelicans have won seven of their last eight night games against the Wizards.
• The Wizards have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five road games.
• The Pelicans have covered the spread in each of their last four home games when playing with a rest disadvantage.

Why the Washington Wizards will win

• The Pelicans have lost seven of their last eight games against Eastern Conference opponents.
• The Wizards have won two of their last three games as underdogs against Western Conference opponents following a loss.
• The Pelicans have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games against Eastern Conference opponents that held a losing record.
• The road team has covered the spread in six of the last seven games between the Wizards and Pelicans.

Total Points Facts

• Each of the Pelicans’ last four games against Eastern Conference opponents has gone OVER the total points line.
• Four of the Wizards’ last five games at Smoothie King Center have gone OVER the total points line.

New Orleans Pelicans Player Facts

• Derik Queen is one of only seven players to have made 8+ field goals without a miss in a game this season.
• Trey Murphy III ranks 4th in the Western Conference amongst qualified players for steals per game (1.5) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Pelicans rank 29th in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (12.6).
• The Pelicans rank 29th in the league for opponent three-point field goal attempts per game this season (41.2).
• The Wizards rank 30th in the league for H1 opponent points per game this season (62.8).
• The Wizards rank 30th in the league for Q1 win percentage this season (30.6%).

Washington Wizards vs New Orleans Pelicans Prediction

The Wizards are still missing Kyshawn George, Cam Whitmore, Anthony Davis, and Tristan Vukcevic, while the Pelicans don’t have any players listed on the injury report. The Wizards have been the floor mats of the league lately and things went from bad to worse after they got beaten by the lowly Jazz on Thursday. The Pelicans haven’t been playing anywhere near their best lately, but they were close against the Suns in their last outing and I think they can finally get a much-needed win over this depleted Wizards squad. The line was always going to be hefty for this matchup, but I think the Pelicans get the job done with ease in this spot.

Peter Tran's Pick: New Orleans -9.5