New Orleans Pelicans: Pros and Cons of Making the Playoffs
By Cody Taylor
Dancing into the Playoffs as the Eight Seed
Optimism is a great trait to have. Since Zion returned from injury, the city of New Orleans has been filled with optimism for all the right reasons, win or lose.
Even the two losses to the Lakers gave reason for hope. The New Orleans Pelicans played them tough and had the basketball world ready for a Lakers vs. Pelicans first round matchup.
The storylines pretty much write themselves.
Zion vs LeBron James. Anthony Davis vs New Orleans and his old team. The Young Up and Coming Team vs. The Established Veterans. The Face of the NBA vs. the Future. What’s not to love about that potential matchup?
I love Ja Morant. But Morant vs. Rajon Rondo doesn’t have near the appeal as Zion vs. LeBron in the Western Conference Playoffs.
This young squad would grow exponentially with the atmospheric change from the mundane regular season to the electricity of late April to May basketball.
The sense of urgency in a Do-or-Die scenario will show what this team is made of. And the growth going into the 2020-21 season will show.
Recent evidence shows the growth of young stars like Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid after their playoff runs in the last few seasons.
The power of playoff experience matters and shows in player development. The extra time together will benefit the team for years to come.
The New Orleans Pelicans would get a chance to see how their players react under the increased scrutiny of the playoffs, and getting those reps is important for a young core that has championship aspirations.
Even if they got swept in the playoffs, the young New Orleans Pelicans would gain valuable experience and show they are on the right path after trading superstar Davis.
Now, on the other hand…