The two worst teams in the NBA will compete on the hardwood on Friday night. The boys from the district head into the bayou for an inter conference battle. Will there be a Poole Party or can the Pelicans spread their wings and soar?

Game Information

• Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA
• Washington Wizards (6-25) visiting the New Orleans Pelicans (5-29)
• Previous Matchup: NOP at WSH (133-126) on February 14th, 2024

Washington Wizards @ New Orleans Pelicans

Just last year this Pelicans team was seen in a completely different light. In the offseason they made a splashy move for Dejounte Murray. Fast forward and Dyson Daniels looks like the real prize of that trade and he’s in Atlanta.

New Orleans has unraveled. Their wings players do not complement one another. Injuries have robbed them of their depth. The cherry on top? Zion looks like he’ll never take his career seriously. They’ve lost 11 straight basketball games.

The Wizards are rebuilding and have several intriguing prospects. They’re currently on a 12 game road skid and this may be their chance to put an end to it. They’re also last in the East but coming off a win against an angsty Bulls team. Washington has only have 6 wins but half those wins have come in their last 10 games.

New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi and Washington Wizards forward-center Alex Sarr have been named the Kia NBA Western and Eastern Conference Rookies of the Month, respectively, for games played in December. pic.twitter.com/LdIeKzxDln

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 2, 2025

Battle for NBA ROY

The most interesting part of this game could possibly be the matchup of rookie centres. Yves Missi and Alex Sarr were both named NBA Rookies of the Month for the West and East respectively. These two could not have different paths to starting. Sarr was the second overall pick and Missi was taken outside the lottery at 21. Either way, here we are, and one of these two could win Rookie of the Year.

We all love Victor Wembanyama but there is another ‘incroyable’ French player in the District of Columbia. Alexandre Sarr is already an elite NBA athlete, he’s fast and fluid with his movements, he does not have to grow into that 7-foot frame at all. Missi is a workhorse with a motor coaches wish they could teach. Sarr is the better talent, larger player, and improving fast. He shot 24.% from three in November on 4.4 attempts. Then he shot 45.5% on 4.9 attempts in the month of Kris Kringle. I love him in this matchup.

This. 🏀

If Jordan Poole wants to remind fans why he was handed a max contract then he must get downhill like this.

It’ll open up space for a Poole Party from deep.

Year 2 in DC. Can he resurrect his career?

💦🏖️🤞☀️
pic.twitter.com/fMtRbx3Yv2

— Sukh Brar (@JustSukh) October 12, 2024

NBA Game Analysis

Let’s get this out of the way. Jordan Poole has looked very good. Especially considering how poorly he was shooting for all of last year. I fully expect him to continue this level of play for the rest of this season. The Wizards are bad and Poole is one of the only players on this roster that can create for himself. His infamous place in recent NBA history should have the proverbial page turned. Jordan Poole is still improving, his career is still young, and we should take notice. He’s facing a Pelicans team that allows teams to shoot 37.4% (25th) from three so I’m sure he’s salivating at this matchup.

Jordan Poole this season:

21.3 PPG (Career-high)
5.0 APG (Career-high)
1.6 SPG (Career-high)
0.5 BPG (Career-high)
40.7% 3pt (Career-high)

Breakout season for Poole in D.C.📈 pic.twitter.com/AQCdOvCSTy

— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) January 1, 2025

Someone has to Win, Right?

The Wizards are surprisingly strong on the defensive glass and the Pelicans are small and in the bottom third of total, offensive, and defensive rebounding. The path to victory for the Wizards is the starters to score well, control the glass, and then NBA veterans like Brogdon or Jonas Valančiūnas come in and beat up on the Pelicans paper thin bench.

The high paid stars are on the injury report for New Orleans. It will be veteran guards CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray leading the charge with wings Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. It is more than injuries that have taken down the Pelicans. Their players do not compliment each other and its hard when the roster is built around a player who is rarely available to play. The aforementioned Trey Murphy has been great and he should have a chance to continue his play in this spot. If the Wizards come in complacent then New Orleans could win this game on talent alone.

However, for the Pelicans to come away with this one, or even cover, then they will need to force turnovers and get into the paint. Dejounte Murray is a ballhawk and Jose Alvarado is making his return from a hamstring injury. Those two could force a lot of turnovers. Additionally, the Wizards are 27th in paint defence giving up 51.7 points per game. Both Dejounte and CJ are savvy with the float game in their repertoire. If they can be successful at the rim and downhill then the game will open up for shooters like Trey Murphy III or Jordan Hawkins.

The Wizards give up 121.9 ppg. (30th) and the Pelicans give up 118 ppg. (25th) so this should be a fun game for player props. You can choose to target hot hands in Poole or Murphy III, the Rookie centre matchup, or even others. As far as a side? I don’t want to say it. I don’t want to even type it. It rhymes with blizzards.

Alexandre Sarr o1.5 Blocks (+100)

The former second overall pick should want to make a statement in this game. The Kia NBA rookie of the year ladder has the Frenchman second to the Cameroonian. The Baylor product has impressed and should have a long career. However, Sarr is the superior talent. He is surging, if he wants Rookie of the Year, then he needs to play better than his competition on a Friday night. He averaged 1.7 blocks in December. I expect him to be active defending the rim on the road.

Jordan Poole o28.5 P/A (-115)

Keeping this very simple. I am going with the hot hand. Against bottom ten defences Jordan Poole averages 35.0 P/A in his last eight against them. This line has only missed once in those 8 games. I know Dejounte Murray is on the Pelicans but that doesn’t matter. Poole could have ten turnovers and he would not change his play style. Jordan Poole should continue his NBA breakout campaign in New Orleans.

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