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New Orleans Pelicans: 5 Toughest Matchups of 2019-20 Season

By Cody Taylor

MADISON, NJ - AUGUST 11: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #0, Zion Williamson #1, and Jaxson Hayes #10 of the New Orleans Pelicans pose for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at the Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
MADISON, NJ - AUGUST 11: Nickeil Alexander-Walker #0, Zion Williamson #1, and Jaxson Hayes #10 of the New Orleans Pelicans pose for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at the Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The New Orleans Pelicans have one of the toughest schedules to start the NBA season. These are the 5 toughest teams between the Pelicans and the playoffs.

As we move closer and closer to training camp, schedule breakdowns are coming hot off the press. There are playoff expectations for the New Orleans Pelicans, who should fair well against the Southwest Division. Expectations against other NBA teams vary greatly.

While the Southwest Division will prove to be a tough battle with the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs typically running the division year in and year out, there are more hurdles for the Pelicans to jump. An opening night match against the defending champion Toronto Raptors is still a great way to kick off the NBA season: show these young guns what the ultimate prize is right across the hardwood from them.

Besides an opening night tilt in the Great White North, there are 81 other games for the New Orleans Pelicans to tackle in chasing their playoff potential. There are plenty of challenges coming in 2019-20 as the 2019 Free Agency period provided a lot of new faces to good teams that have pushed them into top-tier levels of competition.

With teams like the Los Angeles Clippers adding Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, the Utah Jazz adding Mike Conley, Brooklyn Nets getting Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, the Golden State Warriors getting D’Angelo Russell in a trade from the Nets, the Boston Celtics getting Enes Kanter and Kemba Walker. A lot of movement around the NBA landscape has left some of the paths to the playoffs and NBA Finals wide open while other team’s paths might have gotten harder.

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