The Wizards (6-25) head into New Orleans to face the Pelicans (5-29). This will be the battle of the two worst teams in the NBA. They are not only competing in the next two matchups but also battling each other for the number one overall pick and the rights to Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, or Ace Bailey. Both teams are dealing with injuries. The Wizards will be without Bilal Coulibaly and Marvin Bagley. The Pelicans will be without the services of Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. These next two games are very winnable for the Wizards. Will they capitalize?
Keys to victory-
#1 - Rebounding
The Wizards are 14th in rebounds, while the Pelicans are 25th. This is an area where the Wiz-Kidz need to dominate. Look for Alex Sarr and Jonas Valanciunas to take over and the matchup to definitely watch for would be Sarr vs Missi.
#2 - Balanced offense
The Wizards have an opportunity to exploit a team that is without their top two scorers in Williamson and Ingram. Using a well-balanced offensive attack should help the Wizards have a chance in the next two games. Ball movement and team basketball is the preferred method but Iso (Isolation) basketball does have its merits when needed. Knowing when and how to use these offensive methods is key. Balance is everything.
#3 - Dawg factor
The Pelicans are a team that has plenty of talent, especially veteran and All-Star talent but the fight in the dog isn’t there. It’s due to a mixture of Zion and his drama and the fact that the team looks like it’s headed for a rebuild and has some hard decisions ahead. These are not the Wizards issues and they should take advantage of it. The Wizards should look to punch the Pels in the mouth out of the gate. It’s not about the size of the dog in a fight but the size of the fight in the dog. Right now, the Wizards seem hungrier.
