New Orleans Pelicans: Contenders or Pretenders?
By Emily Gruver
The New Orleans Pelicans now have 12 games under their belt, but not all 12 were pretty. Although the season has just begun, I’m still not quite sure what to think of this team and I’m still not quite sure what exactly this team’s identity is just yet. The Pelicans finished their preseason one game shy of being undefeated, but ever since the regular season began, inconsistency has been their main struggle. And then the big question regarding this young team is whether or not to consider them contenders, or pretenders.
The Pelicans tipped off against the Indiana Pacers to open up their regular season and came away with a 95-90 loss. Now a loss to a team like that is understandable, but a few days later, the Pelicans took on the Orlando Magic, and lost again. A loss to the Magic is not understandable. The Pelicans then started off their season 0-2. Next up was the Charlotte Bobcats, a must-win type game. New Orleans went on to crush them, 105-84, getting their first win of the season. But here we go again. The Pelicans faced off against the Phoenix Suns, and lost 104-98. The Memphis Grizzlies were their next match-up, a very tough one, and got a great victory, 99-84. The Pelicans continued their dominance, this time against the Los Angeles Lakers, defeating them 96-85. But then the Pelicans went on a frustrating three-game losing streak, losing to the Suns, Lakers, and Utah Jazz; teams they should have beaten. But of course, the Pelicans then went on a three-game winning streak, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers, Jazz, and most recently, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This is where I’m concerned, and am struggling to decide on whether this team can contend or not. The Pelicans cannot afford to lose games to weaker opponents. For Western Conference teams, every single win counts no matter what. The Pelicans currently have the 11th spot in the conference, standing at 6-6, and although it’s extremely early, they must play much more consistently.
The Pelicans schedule also makes me cringe, as they will have to face some of the top, marquee teams coming up, in which many of the games will be played on the road. Just a few of these teams include the San Antonio Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Los Angeles Clippers. This is where the real test begins.
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