If the New Orleans Pelicans had clinched a victory in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Lakers, they could have dodged a rematch.
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If the New Orleans Pelicans had clinched a victory in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Lakers, they could have dodged a rematch. They’d have snagged a top-six playoff spot.
The Lakers once again showed their prowess, leaving the Pelicans in the dust. And to add salt to the wound, they don’t even have to hit the road. The showdown’s set to happen in New Orleans on Tuesday during the NBA play-in round. Tough break for the Pelicans!
So, whoever clinches the victory in the showdown between the No. 8 seed Lakers, with their 47-35 record, and the No. 7 Pelicans, standing at 49-33, will move up to face off against the second-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. But don’t sweat it if they come up short. The loser gets another shot at making the playoff cut on Friday. Their play-in opponent will be either the Golden State Warriors or the Sacramento Kings.
For the Lakers, Hood-Schifino and Wood will not be playing the game. Besides, Davis and Vanderbilt are questionable for the game. As for the Pelicans, no injuries have been reported.
Pelicans coach Willie Green won’t be shaking off that bitter taste until tipoff, that’s for sure. James had a stellar game, racking up 28 points, a season-high 17 assists, 11 rebounds, and five steals during the easy win. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was on fire, scoring 30 points on 13-of-17 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds.
Unfortunately, he had to exit the game in the final quarter due to back spasms. Despite being listed as questionable on the injury report, Davis was adamant about not missing the matchup against his former team, the Pelicans, where he spent the first seven seasons of his NBA career.
Brandon Ingram made his comeback from a 12-game break due to a left knee issue, putting up 13 points in 23 minutes on Sunday. Looks like he’s set to handle more playing time come Tuesday. Meanwhile, CJ McCollum’s been lighting it up for the Pelicans lately. He notched 25 points on Sunday, marking his seventh consecutive game with 25 points or more.
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