NEW ORLEANS – There are only three teams in the NBA who currently have winning streaks of at least four games and two of them will face off tonight as the New Orleans Pelicans return to the Smoothie King Center for a battle with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Pelicans have had the Clippers’ number in recent years. New Orleans has won the last four meetings between the two, including a 116-106 road victory on Nov. 24 that helped secure the Pelicans’ place in the knockout round of the In-Season Tournament.
In fact, the Pelicans have won 9 of their last 10 against the Clippers dating back to the 2020-21 season, winning by an average margin of 17 points per game.
New Orleans hasn’t lost at home to L.A. since Jan. 2020.
However, that doesn’t mean that tonight should be a cakewalk for the Pels. Back in November, the Clippers were adjusting to the addition of James Harden. It’s safe to say that they have made the adjustment. Since that home loss to New Orleans, L.A. has gone 15-4, second only to the Denver Nuggets in the entire NBA.
The Pelicans haven’t been far behind, winning 12 of their last 19.
The Blender will be more like a planetarium tonight with so many stars taking the court. On one side, there is the Pelicans’ Big 3 of Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and CJ McCollum, featuring outstanding supporting players who have excelled in their roles.
New Orleans is coming off of perhaps it’s biggest win of the season, having throttled the Western Conference-leading Minnesota Timberwolves on the road on the second half of a back-to-back.
On the other, the Clippers have two former MVPs in James Harden and Russell Westbrook, 2x Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, and perennial All-Star Paul George.
It was the Clippers who handed the Memphis Grizzlies their first loss since the return of Ja Morant. To start the new year, L.A. pummeled the Miami Heat and on Wednesday they picked up a big road win against the Suns.
After tonight’s game, the Pels hit the road for a brutal five-game road trip. Picking up another home win over one of the teams ahead of them in the standings and taking the first two in the series between them and the Clippers should be plenty of motivation to come out and get their first five-game winning streak of this season.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| Los Angeles Clippers | New Orleans Pelicans |
| G – James Harden | G – CJ McCollum |
| G – Paul George | G – Herb Jones |
| F – Terance Mann | F – Brandon Ingram |
| F – Kawhi Leonard | F – Zion Williamson |
| C – Ivica Zubac | C – Jonas Valanciunas |
Injuries
New Orleans Pelicans: Matt Ryan (right elbow surgery) is Out. Trey Murphy III (knee soreness) is Questionable.
Los Angeles Clippers: Moussa Diabate (hip) is Out.
Who: Los Angeles Clippers (21-12) vs New Orleans Pelicans (21-14)
Season Series:
- Nov. 24: Pelicans def. Clippers 116-106 (In-Season Tournament)
- Jan. 5: Clippers at Pelicans
- Feb. 7: Pelicans at Clippers
- Mar. 15: Clippers at Pelicans
Where: Smoothie King Center
When: Jan. 5, 7:00 PM CT
Where to watch: Bally Sports New Orleans
Where to listen: WRNO 99.5
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READ MORE
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- Pelicans Return Home With Chance to Continue Winning Ways Versus Ja, Grizzlies
- New Orleans Pelicans’ Attack Ramps Up; Long-Range Shooting Spike May Be Here to Stay
- Pelicans Begin 3-Game Road Trip Against Woeful Wizards
- Zion, Pelicans Can Make Some Adjustments To Max Out Their Max Player
- Pelicans Return From Vegas Hoping to Avoid Hangover Versus Timberwolves
Just play hard..and physically.
So far they’ve done neither
JV aka Scar needs a big game tonight
2nd half need more ball movement. Too much dribbling. Only 9 assists. Willie needs to make mega adjustments on both ends of the floor.
Poor play, poor coaching, poor everything. Willie made zero adjustments and the 2nd unit was dismal.
#freeHawkins
The roster needs a shake up or Willie needs to go?
Deadline trade I like
https://fanspo.com/nba/trades/qvaFjwO3KtpEQQ