With the release of the 2024-25 NBA schedule, armchair analysts and proven pundits will try to figure out how many wins the New Orleans Pelicans can expect based on rest advantages, days on the road, etc.
That’s all fine and good, but we still don’t know what the opening-day roster will look like in New Orleans, let alone what to expect months from now.
The Pelicans open the season at home in the Smoothie King Center on Oct. 23 against the Chicago Bulls. New Orleans is 2-3 in its last five home openers, including last season’s win over the New York Knicks.
New Orleans needs to get off to a good start, and good starts have been hard to come by for this franchise.
Over the last five seasons, the Pels are a combined 16-34 (.320) in the 10-game stretch to start each campaign. In his three seasons at the helm, Willie Green has steered the Pelicans to 10 wins and 20 losses (.333), including a 4-6 start to the 2023-24 season.
Outside of his first season, when New Orleans dropped its first three and nine of 10 out of the gate, the Pelicans have been prepared for opening night. They’ve won their first two games in the past two seasons. If Green can accomplish that feat for a third straight season, he would become the first Pelicans coach since Byron Scott from 2006-2008 to do so.
What the Pelicans don’t want to do is lose on opening night. New Orleans has lost game two after dropping game one six consecutive times. The Pels have made the postseason once (2021-22) when starting a season 0-2 or worse.
| Date | Opponent | Last Season | vs. Pels |
| Oct. 23 | Chicago Bulls | 39-43 | 2-0 |
| Oct. 25 | at Portland Trail Blazers | 21-61 | 0-3 |
| Oct. 27 | at Portland Trail Blazers | ||
| Oct. 29 | at Golden St. Warriors | 46-36 | 1-2 |
| Oct. 30 | at Golden St. Warriors | ||
| Nov. 1 | Indiana Pacers | 47-35 | 1-1 |
| Nov. 3 | Atlanta Hawks | 36-46 | 1-1 |
| Nov. 4 | Portland Trail Blazers | ||
| Nov. 6 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 48-34 | 1-1 |
| Nov. 8 | at Orlando Magic | 47-35 | 2-0 |
New Orleans will face seven teams in its first 10 games, squaring off with the Portland Trail Blazers three times and the Golden State Warriors twice during that stretch.
The Pelicans’ early-season opponents finished last season with a combined record of 284-290 (.494), with New Orleans posting an 8-8 mark against them.
Three games will be against teams who made the playoffs last season, all from the Eastern Conference (Indiana, Cleveland, Orlando).
Last season, the Pelicans had one of the best defenses in the league, posting the NBA’s sixth-best defensive rating (111.9). They will be tested by six of the top 50 returning scorers from a season ago.
- Donovan Mitchell (9) – 26.6 ppg
- Stephen Curry (11) – 26.4 ppg
- Trae Young (15) – 25.7 ppg
- Anfernee Simons (30) – 22.6 ppg
- Paolo Banchero (32) – 22.6 ppg
- Jerami Grant (43) – 21.0 ppg
New Orleans’ new front court will have its hands full as well. The Pelicans will send the trio of rookies Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic, along with veteran journeyman Daniel Theis, to deal with big men Nikola Vucevic (CHI), DeAndre Ayton (POR), Myles Turner (IND), Clint Capela (ATL), Onyeka Okongwu (ATL), Jarrett Allen (CLE), Evan Mobley (CLE), Wendell Carter Jr. (ORL), Jonathan Isaac (ORL), and Paolo Banchero (ORL).
The Pelicans must get strong starts from one of the most talented offensive groups in the NBA. New Orleans has four of the top 50 returning scorers on its roster, with Zion Williamson (22.9), Dejounte Murray (22.5), Brandon Ingram (20.8), and CJ McCollum (20.0) all putting up at least 20 points per game last season.
That doesn’t include the production of Trey Murphy and Herb Jones and the potential firepower of Matt Ryan and Jordan Hawkins on the bench.
Another factor working in the Pelicans’ favor is most of their foes struggled on the defensive side of the ball. Chicago, Portland, Indiana, and Atlanta all ranked in the bottom 10 in defensive rating last season, with only the Cavs and Magic posting elite numbers on that end of the floor.
The NBA has given the Pelicans a balanced and winnable schedule to start the 2024-25 season. It is up to them to take advantage of it.
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