Pelicans Host Wizards Looking To End Losing Streak
New Orleans, La- New Orleans (26-23) will host the Washington Wizards (22-26) on Saturday night in the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans are desperate for a win as they are losers of 6 straight games and falling in the Western Conference standings. Brandon Ingram returned to action Wednesday night for the first time since early November. As expected from the layoff, he was rusty but will look to bounce back with a better performance this game.
Meanwhile, the Wizards are on a hot streak and have won four straight games, including three straight on the road. Washington is led in scoring by Kyle Kuzma, who averages 22 points a game, but they have a very balanced scoring attack. The Wizards are the only team in the NBA with three starters averaging at least 22 points per game.
In the last three games, they have averaged the 5th most points per game in the league. In that same stretch, the Pelicans have had the fourth-best scoring defense. In this tough stretch, the defense has been fine for New Orleans, but its offense has failed them.
Getting Ingram back in the groove will be necessary for the Pels moving forward. Zion Williamson is progressing with his hamstring injury, but the team still says he is at least two weeks away from being re-evaluated. Saturday night's game may be good for New Orleans to feature Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas in the low post.
Washington is near the bottom of the NBA in opponent points in the paint, which will prove more difficult for them as their 7'1 forward, Kristaps Porzingis, is out with an ankle injury. The Wizards will be starting 6'10 234 pound center, Daniel Gafford. Jonas has an inch height and a 30-pound weight advantage on Gafford, so the Pelicans should look to pound the ball inside often.
These teams last met on January 9 back in Washington, a game New Orleans won 132-112. CJ McCollum was the high-point man with 32 points in that game. With Jonas and Ingram operating around the paint, look for CJ to get a few open looks from the outside. McCollum is shooting nearly 39% from beyond the arc, ranking second on the team with a minimum of 100 attempts.
In addition to Zion Williamson missing the game, the Pelicans will be without Dyson Daniels (ankle) and EJ Liddell (foot). Porzingis is the only Wizard listed on the injury report for Saturday night's game.
When: January 28, 2023
Where: Smoothie King Center
Time: 7:00 CST
Watch: Bally Sports New Orleans
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