How the New Orleans Pelicans Stack Up Against the 8th Seed Hopefuls

The New Orleans Pelicans Should Claim the 9th Seed in the West

I don’t think any team is going to catch Memphis and claim the 8th seed outright. 3.5 games is too large of a gap to make up in just eight games, especially considering all those games will be played against teams in Orlando (so playoff caliber teams).

But the race for the 9th seed should be exciting and the New Orleans Pelicans are eager to show they are the best of the group.

If the Pelicans can cement their place as the 9th seed and face off against Memphis in a three-game play-in series, they would need to win two games while Memphis would only need to win one.

It’s a good thing that the Pelicans have already beaten the Grizzlies twice this year. The first game was without Zion and the team won pretty convincingly. The second game Memphis didn’t have Jaren Jackson Jr and the Pels blew out the Griz in New Orleans.

New Orleans swept Portland in the four games the teams played this season. Two of the games were without Zion and all four were at least eight point wins for New Orleans. This bodes well for the Pels as they try to get past both of those teams to make the actual playoffs.

As we wait for the NBA season to restart, the Pelicans are sitting pretty knowing they have a clear path to making the playoffs.

Now they just have to do it.