Pelica Debrief
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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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New Orleans Pelicans versus San Antonia Spurs
SAN ANTONIO, TX – FEBRUARY 2: LaMarcus Aldridge #12 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against the New Orleans Pelicans on February 2, 2019 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Mark Sobhani/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Southwest Division rival San Antonio looks to be a playoff-caliber team once again.

#5 San Antonio Spurs

Home: January 22nd, March 18th

Away:  @ San Antonio April 5th & 15th

The Silver and Black command the deepest respect from all 29 NBA teams and, like the Golden State Warriors, bring out the best of every team every game. No matter what hits the San Antonio Spurs, it never seems to derail their two decades of excellence and no one in their right mind should count them out.

The Spurs will always command respect in the Western Conference and should definitely give the New Orleans Pelicans trouble. Going 10-6 against the Big Easy in the last 4 seasons is a good sample size of the challenge in conference and division the Spurs will give New Orleans this coming season.

LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and Lonnie Walker will be better than they were a season ago getting Murray back from the ACL injury that robbed his 2018-19 season. Another season together should produce better chemistry and cohesiveness and the San Antonio Spurs have always played a beautiful brand of team-centric basketball that will get better over time.

The biggest challenge will be at the AT&T Center in April as two of the final games of the season will be in San Antonio that could potentially have major playoff implications for both the Spurs and Pelicans and could very well be the reason one team advances to the NBA playoffs and the other team’s season ends.

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