New Orleans Pelicans Schedule: April Could Spark a Dream Run
By Rick Stone
The New Orleans Pelicans will see a winnable schedule in April to end the season, which could spark another dream run to the playoffs.
The month of April could go both ways for the New Orleans Pelicans.
It could end up being a bitter end to a tough season. However, it could also become the saving grace to a run at the playoffs, similar to the 2014-2015 Pelicans.
New Orleans used a 6-3 record in the nine April games two years ago to edge out the Oklahoma City Thunder and make the playoffs. They went in as the eighth seed for their first playoffs since 2011. They will more than likely need a similar run to make it back this year, as most of their schedule will prove difficult.
The New Orleans Pelicans start April with two straight home games. They start off on the 2nd against the Chicago Bulls. New Orleans was swept by the Bulls in two games, yet only lost by five or less points both times.
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With Chicago going through multiple changes, including losing Derrick Rose and Pau Gasol in the offseason, the Bulls will face many growing pains similar to the Pels. It will be a tough battle, but it is a winnable game.
The Pelicans then host the Denver Nuggets for a home-and-home. The first game of the set is in New Orleans on April 4th. Denver is an interesting team, yet still very young. The battle to watch will be rookies Buddy Hield and Jamal Murray, who were picked sixth and seventh in the NBA Draft.
Both teams lack experience and are still looking to maneuver pieces around to create a true contender. With New Orleans winning the season series last year, optimism will be on the Pelicans side.
To truly light their spark in April, the New Orleans Pelicans will need to tough out four straight games away from home to end their run. The first will be against the Nuggets on the 7th, three days after their game in New Orleans.
It’s the same matchup, yet the high altitude of Denver changes the gameplan. Denver has the highest peak of any NBA city, making it a challenge to breathe normally. New Orleans will have to plan around the “tall task”.
The Pelicans will play the day after the Nuggets battle, as they’ll travel to Golden State for a game against the Warriors on the 8th. While it seems unwinnable, the Pelicans have won a game as huge underdogs in April before.
The New Orleans Pelicans won against the San Antonio Spurs in 2015 to reach the NBA playoffs, a game many counted them out of. The game could inspire the same kind of result against the juggernauts of Golden State this year. It also would be nice to see Anthony Davis to hit another buzzer beater on the road in Kevin Durant‘s face again.
The Pelicans will have to wait until the 11th, three days after the Warriors matchup, for their next game. They will battle the Los Angeles Lakers, who will look drastically different than the team they beat late last year.
With Kobe Bryant retired, New Orleans will have to answer for the deadly offensive combo of D’Angelo Russell and rookie Brandon Ingram. Still, New Orleans should have the edge with no one on the Lakers who can stay with Anthony Davis.
The final game of the season gives the Pelicans no rest, as they’ll play the Portland Trail-Blazers in Oregon on ESPN April 12th. To end the season, New Orleans will have to find an answer for Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
It will be a hard fought battle, as the Pelicans will be underdogs in this game. Portland won the season series 3-1 a year prior, but if the New Orleans Pelicans are healthy, the duel should be much closer.
The final month of the season will give a huge green light to Anthony Davis. Other than Draymond Green of the Warriors, none of the Pelicans opponents have consistent defensive weapons to counter Davis. The closest thing to a challenge could be two bouts with Kenneth Faried during the month.
For Head Coach Alvin Gentry, it will be the time to shine for his young squad. While the teams they will play have some good defensive qualities, many of the Pelicans’ opponents will be in the lower bracket of NBA teams this season. They will be games that, if New Orleans wants in on postseason play, the Pelicans will need to win.
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The New Orleans Pelicans have a chance to finish the 2016-2017 season with a bang. If the Pelicans are able to win a majority of the six April games, they could spark another dream run into the NBA Playoffs. With the team looking to conquer the injury demons of last year, the schedule opens a path for the young squad to exceed expectations and bring spring excitement to the Bayou.