NBA Playoffs: Should the Western Conference be afraid of the New Orleans Pelicans?
The New Orleans Pelicans just eked into the NBA Western Conference playoffs with a 48-34 record. Just two games separated the Pelicans from missing the postseason entirely.
However, after the first round of the NBA Playoffs, New Orleans is the only team to sweep a series.
New Orleans not only swept the favored Portland Trail Blazers, the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, but it did so with little difficulty. Game 1 was the only time during the series the Pelicans failed to score more than 100 points. It was also the closest Portland came to beating New Orleans, losing by just two points, 97-95.
The Pelicans perfect start to the playoffs mean the team can now rest and wait as their second-round opponent is determined. New Orleans will take on either the Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors were on target for a first round sweep as well until the Spurs staved off elimination in game 4. Golden State’s game 4 loss stung even more when coach Steve Kerr announced star point guard Steph Curry won’t be back anytime soon following the game.
The news of Curry’s absence will have gone done well in New Orleans. The Pelicans lost three of four games against Golden State during the regular season, giving up 110 points or more in each. Curry played in the Warriors’ three wins over New Orleans and averaged 28.7 points per game. The game Curry missed came on April 8 following his knee injury, and the Pelicans pulled off a 126-120 win.
Assuming Golden State can eliminate the Spurs, the Warriors will face off with one of the Western Conference’s hottest teams. The Pelicans have lost just once in April, and that defeat came back on the month’s first day against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Pelicans’ April record is amazing but looking a little deeper shows a team that has won in the face of adversity since February. New Orleans was just two games above .500 on February 9, and thoughts of the playoffs were all but gone. DeMarcus Cousins had just suffered a season ending injury, and it looked likely another year without the playoffs was on target. However, the Pelicans went on a run that saw the team reel off a 22-8 record.
Regardless of which team the Pelicans face in the next round – although it will most likely be Golden State – Alvin Gentry’s team has a chance to win the series. For one, New Orleans is red hot and its domination of Portland is proof. Secondly, the Pelicans showed in their last meeting with Golden State that it can hang – and beat – the reigning NBA Champions; if Curry is out.
Curry’s absence means over 26 points per game is missing from the team. Sure, Kevin Durant and the rest of the Warriors can fill in for the star, but New Orleans has shown it isn’t afraid of the favorites in the playoffs.
Since New Orleans rebranded as the Pelicans in 2013, the franchise had made the playoffs just once prior to this season. As the eight seed in 2015, New Orleans was quickly swept by Golden State. This year, the franchise could take a major step forward. New Orleans is a great story this NBA season, and the second-round against the Warriors will be must see TV.
