New Orleans Pelicans: Easy schedule opens door for Zion Williamson
An easy schedule opens the door for Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Friday was a big day for the NBA. Not only did league commissioner Adam Silver have a conference call with reporters to reinforce the league’s return to play plan in the Orlando/Disney bubble, but the eight-game seeding schedule was also released for each of the teams participating in the restart.
The schedule will consist of a maximum of seven games per day with tip-offs coming between noon and 9:00 p.m. (ET). There are three total courts, with two of them being used for national television.
The restart will begin with a July 30 doubleheader featuring the Utah Jazz vs. New Orleans Pelicans followed by the LA Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers. Apart from the logistics, one of the most interesting aspects of the schedule release revolved around the strength of schedules for each respective team.
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Interestingly enough, the teams with the easiest schedule heading into the Orlando/Disney bubble is the…Pelicans.
New Orleans Pelicans’ easy schedule
That’s good news is you want to see more of Zion Williamson. The schedule will play right into the hands of the Pelicans, who will begin the restart 3.5 games back of the 8th seed in the Western Conference. The good news is that as long as they finish within four games of the 8th seed, they’ll participate in a play-in tournament for the playoffs.
If the Pelicans are going to pick up where they left off before the hiatus, there’s a chance that we could see this team in the competition for a while.
Before the hiatus, the Pelicans were playing some of their best basketball. Not only was Zion healthy and beginning to look more and more comfortable with his role and while making the transition to the NBA, but Brandon Ingram was well on his way to having the best statistical season of his career, and Lonzo Ball was playing great alongside both.
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I’m not on the conspiracy theory train of the NBA doing whatever it can do to get the Pelicans (and Zion) in the playoffs, but there’s no question that their schedule sets them up for a realistic path towards the postseason. Question is, will Zion and the Pelicans be able to take advantage?