11. New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans might be the best story that no one seems to be talking about in the Western Conference. The difference from this season compared to last year for the Pelicans, in which they kind of fell apart at around this point of the season, is the fact that the Pelicans have been relatively healthy.
Aside from an early injury that cost CJ McCollum a handful of games at the beginning of this season, the Pelicans' top three players have been pretty healthy for much of the season. That much has been evident this season. The Pelicans are currently sitting as a top six in the Western Conference, which is a great sign for a team attempting to take a step forward.
Again, there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done and this is a team that’s going to have to prove that they could close the deal and cement their status as a top-six team in the West. It won’t be an easy task in the second half of the season, especially considering they need to hold off the likes of the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Los Angeles Lakers. However, if the Pelicans are able to defy the odds and finish as the top-six seed in the West, it would be a huge accomplishment.