New Orleans Pelicans: Pros and Cons of Making the Playoffs
By Cody Taylor
The young New Orleans Pelicans are running out of time to catch Memphis for the final spot, but not making the playoffs could have some hidden benefits.
After an odd yet hilarious morning from LaVar Ball on Fox Sport’s Undisputed, his New Orleans Pelicans over the Lakers playoff prediction got me thinking:
What are the benefits of the New Orleans Pelicans making the playoffs? Are there any benefits to them missing the playoffs?
A lot goes into player and team development: coaching, time played together and bonds from success and struggles alike.
Every team’s ultimate goal should be to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy in June, not land the best ping-pong ball in the lottery (Zion draft withstanding obviously.)
Pundits and media experts say the NBA Playoffs are a grown man’s sport and that young teams usually fall off once the playoffs hit.
It isn’t an incorrect statement for the most part. Veterans with the experience of being in deep playoff/championship runs have the edge over teams who haven’t sniffed an iota of that success.
Given the limited playoff experience held by the current New Orleans Pelicans team, there are certainly some benefits to getting that run in the playoffs, but there also might be some pros to not making it for this young squad.
The fight for the eight seed in the Western Conference is a tight race between Memphis, Sacramento and the New Orleans Pelicans and these final weeks of the regular season are going to prove pivotal.
After last night’s heartbreaking loss to Dallas, the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves in the 12th position, five games back of the eight seed Memphis, with three teams in between.
While it would be great if the Pelicans could make a run to the playoffs and get that marquee first round matchup with the Lakers, it’s time to start examining the reality of them not making it.
Let’s dig in.