Will the Pelicans live up to the hype?
Aside from the championship contenders – Lakers, Clippers, Bucks, Raptors/Celtics – most of the hype surrounding the NBA’s restart bubble centered around the extremely talented New Orleans Pelicans. This is a team that was beginning to play some of its best basketball before the hiatus and a team that was entering the restart healthy.
Led by Zion Williamson, many were touting the Pelicans as the favorite to emerge in the Western Conference to win the 8th and final playoff spot. Assuming they can remain within four games of the 8th seed, they will have a shot to do so in a play-in tournament. Though, before that, they have to prove it in the eight seeding games.
Will the Pelicans pick up where they left off when the season went into a hiatus? Will they have to shake off some rust first? If the exhibition games were any indication (which were played without Zion), this is a team that is going to play a huge factor in who wins the final playoff spot in the West.
And, if they would win the final playoff spot, could give LeBron James and the Lakers a headache of a matchup in the first round of the NBA playoffs.