When DeMarcus Cousins went down for the season due a torn Achilles, most people, including myself, assumed the New Orleans Pelicans were doomed and would find themselves back in the NBA Draft lottery. Instead of doing what we all expected, the Pelicans have decided to defy the odds makers and prove that they can still make some noise this season.
As of right now, the Pelicans are 4th in the Western Conference with a 36-26 record and have won eight straight games. Those eight wins have come at Brooklyn, at Detroit, vs. Los Angeles Lakers, vs. Miami, at Milwaukee, vs. Phoenix, at San Antonio, and at Dallas. While not the most intimidating schedule, the Pelicans still deserve a lot of credit for winning all of those games.
Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday have both really stepped up for the Pelicans during this stretch. Davis has had four games of 40+ points and one game of 50+ points while Holiday has had scored 20+ points in each of these games including a 36 point game at Milwaukee and 30 point game at Dallas. These guys are being asked to carry the load for their team and are doing so in spades.
The big question is whether or not the Pelicans can keep this up or if they will fade as we head into March. When looking at the schedule, I think there's good reason to think they can keep this up. They do have games against the Rockets, Warriors, Celtics, and Spurs left, but they also have games left with the Clippers, Kings, Jazz, Hornets, and Mavericks. Their schedule isn't a cakewalk by any means, but it is manageable. What helps is teams behind them like the Timberwolves and Spurs are dealing with injuries of their own, so it isn't like they are at full strength either.
My personal prediction is that the Pelicans will make the playoffs, but it's honestly too soon to say whether or not they will hang onto home court advantage in the first round. Seeds 3-8 seem to be changing every day, so it really is anybody's guess of as to how those positions will shake out. But that all being said, the very fact that the Pelicans are even in discussion to get home court advantage in the first round is remarkable. They are definitely turning into one of the feel good stories of the season.
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