New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green tries to keep the focus on the here and now with faith that things will work out in the future, especially when it comes to All-Stars Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. It's how the third-year head coach has kept rosters ravaged by injury in the playoff conversation ever since taking the job. Part of that process is breaking down the schedule into 10-game segments.
“It is a good way to hone in on just winning these 10 games,” Green told ClutchPoints at Media Day on October 2nd. “You've got to play 82 games, possibly 83 this season so our mentality is to show up and compete every single night. The in-season tournament…I don't know how I feel about it yet, to be honest with you. I believe the NBA is trying to create an element of excitement during the regular season. We'll see how it goes. Our matchup is our matchup. We'll take it game by game and go out to compete. Our mentality is to try to win.”
The Pelicans have faced the third-most difficult schedule to start the season. They've treaded water despite being fourth in games missed by key contributors like CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III. Thankfully, the next six weeks are one of the easiest stretches on any calendar—providing Williamson and Ingram a golden opportunity to fill the trophy case and make NBA history.
Pelicans see In-Season Tournament as ‘stepping stone'
Well, the next 10 games are complicated by the In-Season Tournament, but the next 20 are littered with lottery teams. In fact, the rest of the holiday-season schedule is a gift-wrapped opportunity for New Orleans to rise up out of the cluttered Western Conference playoff race. Williamson and Ingram can walk into 2024 having placed a banner in the rafters.
(Yes, an In-Season Tournament banner. The Pelicans do not have much in the trophy case, so fans should demand a parade as well. Williamson and Ingram will serve as co-grand marshals.)
The LA Clippers host the Pelicans in the last In-Season Tournament game of group play for both teams. That Friday after Thanksgiving date in LA is close to a must-win if New Orleans wants to advance. The Pelicans beat the Denver Nuggets (2-1), who play the Houston Rockets (1-1) to close out the group stage. The Rockets also play the Dallas Mavericks. New Orleans lost to Houston and would lose the head-to-head tiebreaker. They'd need help from other results to advance as the wildcard. Comparing point-differential against the Suns, Warriors, Thunder and Timberwolves would be the first tiebreaker.
Both Green and Ty Lue are working with rosters in flux due to trade (James Harden) or injuries (CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy III). New Orleans is still in contention to host a quarterfinal and would advance with a victory. The Clippers and Pelicans will have to hope for other results to fall just right if both finish 2-2.
A trip to Las Vegas would be a further complication, but Williamson called the opportunity a “stepping stone” for the young squad. I'd wager the team takes the chance to win a trophy very seriously.
All-Stars can't put game on cruise control
Put the Clippers on Friday and the rest of the In-Season Tournament aside. It will be over within two weeks either way. The Pelicans only face a handful of teams currently sporting winning records for the remainder of the 2023 calendar year. Joel Embiid's Philadelphia 76ers come to the Smoothie King Center to close out November. The next matchup with a winning team is December 11th versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (8-7) and Rockets (7-6) might still have winning records on December 21st and 23rd. If not, the next matchup against a fellow playoff foe is New Year's Eve at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pelicans cannot go on cruise control, though. The 6-8 Brooklyn Nets visit the Crescent City on January 2nd and then the schedule gets far more challenging with seven straight against playoff hopefuls or former champions.
New Orleans leaves LA for Salt Lake City to get in two games in three days against the Utah Jazz. The 76ers visit on November 29th, then the Pelicans have a day off. Victor Wembanyama's San Antonio Spurs hit the Smoothie King Center that Friday. Green's squad will then fly to the Windy City soon after that final whistle to play the Chicago Bulls less than 24 hours later. The next week's schedule is unknown with the knockout round taking place, but the Pelicans will either play a quarterfinal against a winning team or face two other In-Season Tournament also-rans.
Revenge will be on the mind when the Timberwolves come back to New Orleans on December 11th. The Timberwolves needed a last-second shot to slide out of the SKC with a win last week. Then comes four games against teams with a combined 13 total wins currently. A road trip made up of matchups with the Washington Wizards., Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs is bookended by a home tilt against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 19th, which could also be Ja Morant's season debut.
The Cavaliers (road) and Rockets (home) are both winnable games, especially if Murphy, McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. are healthy. The Lakers at home on New Year's Eve follows, and it should be the hottest ticket in town.
Comparing the next 15 games against the last 15 provides an easy evaluation guideline for Executive VP David Griffin. New Orleans was in first place on New Year's Day 2023. Williamson and Ingram hope to again be celebrating a surge in the standings considering they are playing the easiest schedule remaining. If not, it will be yet another opportunity wasted and the front office will be looking to shake up another what-could-have-been roster.
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