Who: New Orleans Pelicans vs. Washington Wizards
When: Friday, Aug. 7, 8:00 p.m ET
How to watch: Fox Sports New Orleans
Odds: Pelicans -6.5
Still stinging from Thursday afternoon’s loss that may have effectively ended their postseason push, the Pelicans take the court on Friday to complete their only back-to-back in the bubble. The positive is that the team awaiting them will be a Wizards side that is putrid this season.
Interestingly, the Pelicans and Wizards have not met this season with both original regular season matches slated to take place in the final weeks of the season. It would have been a bonus for New Orleans to see them twice as the Wizards sport just a 24-44 record.
The Pelicans aren’t officially eliminated from the playoffs, meaning Friday’s game still carries some weight. Any loss in their remaining four games, though, would prove to be the fatal blow in their playoff hopes.
Inside the bubble, the Wizards have the worst net rating at -10.3, weighed down by the second-worst offense. Comparatively, New Orleans is 19th in net rating, 14th in defensive rating and 16th in offensive rating.
