New Orleans Pelicans vs Washington Wizards Prediction & Picks – 1/9/2026

The Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans will meet in the NBA on Friday night. Normally, this would be a game to avoid watching at all costs, given how bad these two teams have been this season. But with the Wizards making headlines in the trade market going into this matchup, there is some renewed intrigue to be found here. Before tip-off from Washington, continue reading for my Pelicans vs Wizards prediction.

Our Pelicans vs Wizards Pick ATS PRO

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: New Orleans Pelicans @ Washington Wizards
• Date & Time: January 9, 2026, 7:00 PM ET
• Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
• Broadcast: NBA League Pass

Key Storylines

New Orleans comes into Friday’s game with a dismal 8-31 record and a four-game road losing streak, in what has been a season full of setbacks and inconsistencies. The Pelicans have suffered through injuries to multiple key contributors, including Dejounte Murray, Saddiq Bey, and Trey Murphy III, with Herbert Jones also listed as doubtful and Jose Alvarado as day-to-day. Zion Williamson remains the focal point of their offense, scoring around 22.4 points per game when he is healthy. Jordan Poole has been a steady secondary scoring option, averaging double figures over the last 10 outings. Despite their struggles, the Pelicans’ scoring ability still ranks among the more potent offenses in the league when at their best.

Washington has a 10-26 record and has shown signs of life recently, going 3-2 in its last five games overall. They traded CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert for Trae Young over the last couple of days, which should inject some much-needed excitement into the team and its fans in 2026. However, injuries continue to nibble at Washington’s rotation, with Cam Whitmore and Kyshawn George sidelined. Young is also listed as questionable with a quad ailment that kept him out of action at the end of his time with the Hawks.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• This is the first of two regular-season games set to take place between the Pelicans and Wizards this season.
• The Pelicans are 20-18-1 against the spread so far this season.
• Washington is 15-21 against the spread going into Friday night.
• The over is 19-17 in Wizards games so far this year.
• The Pelicans are 21-18 to the over on the season.

Best Player Props to Watch ATS PRO

Pelicans vs Wizards Model Projection ATS PRO

Final Thoughts ATS PRO

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.