Wizards vs. Pelicans prediction: New Orleans favored to win Sunday's NBA matchup [3/8/2026]

NBA action continues on Sunday at 7:00 PM ET as the Washington Wizards face off with the favored New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center.

Based on updated simulations and today’s injury news, Dimers' advanced NBA model predicts the Pelicans as the most likely winner of the Wizards vs. Pelicans game.

This prediction follows the latest NBA Injury Report, which suggests the Pelicans lineup will feature stars like Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Saddiq Bey, while the Wizards will rely on Trae Young, Will Riley and Bilal Coulibaly.

This article offers an expanded analysis of Sunday's matchup, including an expanded look at the predicted score, best bets and player prop picks.

Wizards vs. Pelicans prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using trusted machine learning and data, we have simulated the result of Sunday's NBA matchup between the Wizards and Pelicans 10,000 times as part of our NBA predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives the Pelicans an 82% chance of beating the Wizards. Our predicted final score has the Pelicans winning 126-116.

According to our model, the Wizards (+11.5) have a 54% chance of covering the spread, while the 244.5-point over/under has a 54% chance of staying under.

Wizards vs. Pelicans odds

We have researched the best NBA odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Wizards vs. Pelicans picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

According to our best NBA bets for Sunday, the top play to make on this game is Wizards +11.5 at the spread.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.

Wizards vs. Pelicans player props

NBA player props are a great way to wager on Sunday's Wizards vs. Pelicans game without necessarily betting on the outcome. We use the best information available to project how each team's leading players will perform at Smoothie King Center.

Trae Young is expected to lead the Wizards with 15 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists, while Trey Murphy is projected to have 26 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists for the Pelicans.

Check out our NBA player projections for a full range of projected box scores, including points, assists, rebounds and today's NBA first basket picks.

Wizards prediction

Our model's projected player stats for the Wizards are:

Pelicans prediction

Projected points, rebounds, assists and three-pointers made for the Pelicans:

Wizards vs. Pelicans game-day updates and essential details

Sunday's game between the Pelicans and Wizards at Smoothie King Center is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: Washington Wizards vs. New Orleans Pelicans
• Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Smoothie King Center

Conclusion

We predict the Pelicans, with an 82% win probability, will likely beat the Wizards on Sunday, with Trey Murphy projected for a game-high 48 fantasy points.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Wizards vs. Pelicans insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are based on the latest data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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