LOS ANGELES – The New Orleans Pelicans have the opportunity to extend their current win streak to a season-high five games and move to 10 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2018 season when they face the Los Angeles Lakers tonight.
After an inconsistent January, the Pelicans have stormed into February with four consecutive victories, three on the road, by a combined 51 points.
New Orleans’ “Big Three” of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum has gotten back on track. The trio has combined for 79.4 points, 17.2 rebounds, 16.1 assists, and 3.4 blocks per game during the streak.
That, along with the solid production coming from the rest of the lineup was enough to convince David Griffin and the rest of the front office to stand pat as the NBA Trade Deadline came and went.
Though the Pelicans could have made adjustments that could have strengthened and/or shortened the bench, it seems clear the organization believes that the team has shown enough progress on the court to allow them to see how the regular season and postseason play out before making any major changes.
New Orleans enters the weekend in sixth place in the Western Conference standings, the same place they finished the 2017-18 season. That year the Pelicans were able to sweep the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers before falling to the Warriors in the conference semifinals.
A win over the Lakers could set the Pelicans up for an extended win streak. After leaving Los Angeles they start a stretch of four straight games against teams with losing records.
The first step in building a championship contender is becoming a consistent regular season winner. The Pelicans have been good, and they have had tough stretches, but they’ve yet to put together a signature winning streak on par with the league’s very best teams.
Los Angeles is coming off of a loss and is playing the second game of a back-to-back. Even if the Pelicans are forced to play without Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas and/or both, this is a game they have to win.
The Pelicans will have to make the Lakers run, applying pressure to Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell defensively, while keeping LeBron James and Anthony Davis off of the boards.
Trey Murphy III and Jordan Hawkins should have ample chances to take shots if they remain in motion, so energy is the key to a Pelicans victory tonight.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| New Orleans Pelicans | Los Angeles Lakers |
| G – CJ McCollum | G – Max Christie |
| G – Herbert Jones | G – Austin Reaves |
| F – Brandon Ingram | F – Rui Hachimura |
| F – Zion Williamson | F – LeBron James |
| C – Jonas Valanciunas | C – Anthony Davis |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Naji Marshall (back), Jonas Valanciunas (calf) and Zion Williamson (foot) are QUESTIONABLE.
Los Angeles Lakers: Cam Reddish (ankle), Jarred Vanderbilt (foot), and Gabe Vincent (knee) are OUT.
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (30-21) at Los Angeles Lakers (27-26)
Season Series
- Dec. 7: Lakers def. Pelicans, 133-89 (In-Season Tournament)
- Dec. 31: Pelicans def. Lakers, 129-109
- Feb. 9: Pelicans at Lakers
- Apr. 14: Lakers at Pelicans
Where: Crypto.com Arena
When: Feb. 9, 9:30 PM CST
Where to watch: WVUE Fox 8 I NBATV
Where to listen: WRNO 99.5
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READ MORE
- Pelicans Open 4-Game Road Trip With Major Test Vs. Clippers
- New Orleans, You Have A Problem; Pelicans Facing 4-Game Losing Streak
- Boston Is a Tough Place For Pelicans To Try To Break Out of the Doldrums
- Jordan Hawkins’ Mulitfaceted Offensive Game Makes Him a Real Weapon For The Pelicans
- Has Zion Williamson Reached A Turning Point As A Defender?
- As Decision Looms on Valanciunas’ Future, His Contributions Are Greater Than Ever
- Mile High Mission: Pelicans Can Tie Franchise Road Streak Record With Win Over Nuggets
- A Healthy Larry Nance Jr. Brings a Bit of Everything to The Pelicans
- Trigga’d: Trey Murphy III’s Elite Shooting Sparks Pelicans
As Deacon stated a week ago, Willie doesn’t get it. His lineup decisions at times is hard to digest.