The New Orleans Pelicans still have a tiny chance to make the playoffs thanks to the NBA play-in tournament.
There is still a path for them to get there, as just 1.5 games separate the Pelicans from the 10th-place Spurs, who are in a free fall having lost five-in-a-row.
The Pelicans are not only going to need some help from other teams but they are going to need Lonzo Ball to continue his red hot 3-point shooting to have a chance.
The play-in tournament was added last season as a way to make the COVID shortened regular season fairer for teams that didn’t get a chance to finish their schedule.
With another shortened season this year, the NBA decided to keep the format and it has paid off, as it has given teams like the New Orleans Pelicans the chance to play meaningful games.
Some players like Luka Doncic and LeBron James aren’t happy about it, but they only seemed to care once it had the chance to affect their teams.
But how does the whole thing work?
New Orleans Pelicans: How does the NBA play-in tournament work?
Here is a quick primer on how the play-in tournament will work according to NBA.com:
"“At the conclusion of the regular season but before the first round of the playoffs, the team with the 7th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 8th-highest winning percentage in a Play-In Game (the “Seven-Eight Game”). The winner of the Seven-Eight Game in each conference will earn the No. 7 seed.The team with the 9th-highest winning percentage in each conference will host the team with the 10th-highest winning percentage in the “Nine-Ten Game”. The loser of the Seven-Eight Game will host the winner of the Nine-Ten Game in a Play-In Game, and the winner of that game in each conference will earn the No. 8 seed.”"
The Spurs have the toughest schedule of the four teams still competing for a spot, and if the New Orleans Pelicans can win a majority of their remaining games, they will have a real chance to claim the 10th spot and try to make some noise.
I guarantee that no team in the Western Conference wants to play Zion Williamson, who is the type of player who could carry a team to a couple of victories and an unlikely playoff berth.
The New Orleans Pelicans are hoping the NBA’s new format will benefit their desire to play more meaningful games.
The play-in tournament has been a success, as it has made the regular season more meaningful and kept more teams alive for a shot at the playoffs.