Pelicans Primed To End Six-Game Losing Streak Against Humming Wizards

The Washington Wizards and the New Orleans Pelicans are on streaks, though on different trajectories. Come Saturday, one of those streaks may end.

On one end are the Wizards, which are on a four-game winning streak. Their last triumph came at the expense of the Houston Rockets, 108-103. This was after three straight wins against the Dallas Mavericks, Orlando Magic and the New York Knicks.

A big reason for that is the heady play of Kyle Kuzma. Against Houston, he unloaded 33 points and nine rebounds. He drew support from Bradley Beal, who finished with 17 markers and four assists.

"We've seen it from him," Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said of Kuzma Wednesday night, according to ESPN. "Once he gets going he's shooting into a big bucket. We needed it. We trust to put the ball in his hands in these moments and he's come up big for us."

The Wizards are averaging 112.7 points per game, 20th in the league. They also own an offensive rating of 112.7, 21st in the NBA as of this writing.

Defensively, they are allowing opponents to score 113.4 points per contest, which is 16th in the league. Washington has a defensive rating of 113.4, 18th in the NBA.

For the Pelicans, nothing could be sweeter than a win at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, to stop the bleeding. Their last loss came at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, 102-111, Wednesday night. It was their sixth straight loss.

During that game, C.J. McCollum led the way for the Pels with 25 points and eight assists. Jonas Valanciunas chipped in 15 markers of his own to go with 12 rebounds.

The game also marked the return of Brandon Ingram, who had not played since Nov. 25, 2022.

"Great to have him out there," Pelicans coach Willie Green said of Ingram, according to ESPN. "He's knocking off some rust, which we expected."

The Pelicans are 10th in the league in team scoring, averaging 115.2 points per contest. They also tote an offensive rating of 113.6, 13th in the league.

Their defense could be better, allowing the opposition 113.1 points per contest, 14th in the league. They own a defensive rating of 111.3, sixth in the league.

The Pelicans are -4 favorites to end their skid against the Wizards, which are at +4, according to USA Today's For The Win. The Moneyline is -185 for New Orleans and +156 for Washington.

For the upcoming game, Kristaps Porzingis is reportedly listed as out for the Wizards, while Zion Williamson is unavailable for the Pelicans.

The Pelicans will face the visiting Wizards Saturday, with the game set to start at 8 p.m. EST. The game can be followed on NBA League Pass, with live streaming also available via FuboTV.