The New Orleans Pelicans’ full 2023-24 regular season schedule is now public knowledge. And while we have already discussed the hardest and easiest portions of their schedule. We now want to talk about which pocket of time is the best to hit a Pelicans home game this season.
For this exercise, we don’t want to focus on singular games that would be the most interesting to go to. But rather a stretch of the season that includes a fun slate of home games. That way, those traveling from out of state to see their beloved Pelicans can catch multiple home games during their stay. See how thoughtful we are over at Pelican Debrief!
Anyway, through the course of the 2023-24 season, the Pelicans have two six-game homestands. One that goes from November 12th to November 22nd. And one that goes from March 26th to April 5th. And by my estimation, I’d say the latter homestand is a more favorable time to catch a Pelicans’ game. Here’s why I think that.
First off, the latter homestand takes place later on in the season. That means that the stakes will be higher, as the Pelicans will likely be dueling for playoff positioning.
The second homestand also contains six unique opponents. Some of those teams are powerhouses – like the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Phoenix Suns. While others have fun young stars – like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs (there is your chance to see Victor Wembanyama!).
Meanwhile, the first homestand contains two duplicates. From November 12th to the 22nd, the Pelicans host the Sacramento Kings and the Dallas Mavericks twice. And while both those teams are a fun watch, you don’t get as much variety there.
Lastly, there is a nice little mini-vacation window built in there. The Pelicans host the Bucks and Celtics on Thursday, March 28th, and Saturday, March 30th. For my out-of-town people, wouldn’t it be nice to take Thursday and Friday off of work to travel to New Orleans, take an extended weekend, and catch two great games? I think it would be.
Regardless, this season promises to be an interesting (and hopefully prosperous) one, so be sure to take at least one trip to the Smoothie King Center.