PORTLAND, Oregon – The Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans will face off in a Western Conference showdown, with both teams coming in with contrasting starts to their seasons. Portland is looking to bounce back after a tough season opener, while New Orleans aims to build on early momentum.
Portland struggled last season, finishing with a 21-61 overall record, including just eight wins in Western Conference play. Their defensive struggles were on display in their first game this season, as they fell to the Golden State Warriors 139-104.
In contrast, New Orleans had a successful 2023-24 campaign, ending with a 49-33 record, including a solid 30-22 mark against Western Conference opponents. They kicked off their new season on a high note with a 123-111 win over the Chicago Bulls, led by forward Brandon Ingram’s 33-point performance.
This matchup will be the first of two consecutive meetings between the teams in Portland, with games scheduled for Friday and Sunday. New Orleans enters the series having won six straight against the Trail Blazers, including five consecutive victories at the Moda Center.
With Portland looking to find its rhythm and New Orleans hoping to extend its winning streak, fans can expect an exciting early-season clash as both teams look to set the tone in the Western Conference.
Keys to Victory
Get off to a good start: This is the first of four road games over the next six days. The Pelicans should be fresh after an easy victory at home on Wednesday night. The Blazers are undermanned and are not very good. New Orleans needs to try to break the home team’s spirit as quickly as possible by coming out of the gate and playing with a lot of energy on both ends.
A good start for the Pelicans usually means a good start by Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and CJ McCollum. Last season, they averaged 18.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 0.6 steals in the first quarter of Pelicans victories, while posting a cumulative 12.2 plus-minus.
When the Pelicans lost the statistical drop-off was noticeable, with Ingram and McCollum’s shooting numbers, in particular, standing out. Brandon Ingram took half as many three-pointers (1.2 in wins, 0.6 in losses) and his shooting percentage dropped from 55.8 to 45.8 from the field, and from 51.1 percent to 31.3 percent beyond the arc.
| 2022-23 | Pts. | Reb. | Asts. | Stls. | FG% | 3P% | +/- |
| In Wins | 18.2 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 0.6 | 55.8 | 50.0 | 12.2 |
| In Losses | 15.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 0.7 | 48.0 | .344 | -3.7 |
McCollum saw his shooting numbers plummet in losses, going from 54.4% overall to 37.9%, with his three-point percentage decreasing from 52.6 to 32.7. Only Williamson had an across-the-board increase in his shooting numbers.
Without Dejounte Murray to distribute, it’s on the Pelicans’ Big 3 to set the tempo for the offense and take the right shots from the opening tip.
Take advantage of turnovers: The New Orleans Pelicans had 15 steals against the Bulls, as Chicago committed 21 total turnovers. The Pelicans converted those mistakes into 30 points. Last season, they averaged 19.7 points per game off turnovers in their 49 wins.
Portland surrendered 22 points off turnovers to the Golden State Warriors in its Wednesday night loss. A Pelicans victory likely includes more steals and more easy points. Even without Dejounte Murray, the Pelicans must pressure the Blazers’ backcourt. There will be opportunities against some suspect ball handlers and turnover-prone bigs to take advantage off, New Orleans just has to seize them.
Keep running: It was only one game, but the Pelicans did run against the Bulls, posting a pace of 108.0., only trailing their two opponents on this road trip, the Warriors and Blazers. Based on the quality of the opponent and their style of play, expect this game to be another track meet.
The Pelicans have to continue to embrace that. Willie Green should channel his inner Coach Carter and remind his team that “When we step on the floor every second that clock is ticking, we are pedal to the metal, we run the ball, we pressure the ball, and most importantly we control the tempo of the game.”
Uptempo basketball isn’t just for fun, it’s absolutely necessary for the New Orleans Pelicans. So keep running. Run until the Blazers can’t run with you anymore.
Most Recent Starting Lineups
| New Orleans Pelicans | Portland Trail Blazers |
| G – Dejounte Murray | G – Anfernee Simons |
| G – CJ McCollum | G – Jerami Grant |
| F – Herb Jones | F – Toumani Camara |
| F – Brandon Ingram | F – Deni Avdija |
| C – Daniel Theis | C – DeAndre Ayton |
Injuries
Portland Trail Blazers: Robert Williams III (hamstring) is day-to-day. Shaedon Sharpe (left shoulder) and Matisse Thybulle (knee) are OUT.
New Orleans Pelicans: Trey Murphy III (hamstring strain) and Dejounte Murray (left-hand fracture) are OUT.
Who: New Orleans Pelicans (1-0) vs Portland Trail Blazers (0-1)
Season Series:
- Oct. 25: Pelicans @ Trail Blazers
- Oct. 27: Pelicans @ Trail Blazers
- Nov. 4: Trail Blazers vs Pelicans
- Jan. 8: Trail Blazers vs Pelicans
Series History: The Pelicans are 38-37 vs. the Portland Trail Blazers and have won six in a row against Portland, including five straight at the Moda Center.
Where: Moda Center
When: Oct. 25, 9:00 PM CT
Where to watch: Pelicans+/GCSEN
Where to listen: WWL Radio 870 AM
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