Holiday Schedule Set Up For Pelicans To Feast

The New Orleans Pelicans (10-7) just wrapped up a six-game homestand with four convincing wins and now sit just one game back of first place in the Western Conference. Starting 2023 atop the standings is a real possibility just one year after a 1-12 start for Willie Green's squad.

After 8 of 11 games on the road to begin this campaign, the schedule is set up nicely for a Pelicans run through New Year's Day 2023. New Orleans will embark on a two-game road trip with a Thanksgiving Day stop in New Orleans sandwiched in between this week. After those quick flights, they'll play only six more road games until January 2023.

And this team is just starting to get comfortable. The game is starting to come easier now that they've had time to develop chemistry and their pecking order.

"It was important for me to be aggressive early and lead by example in a way... it made it easier for me to step into my shot and do whatever on the basketball floor."

-BI on his first 30-point night this season pic.twitter.com/OGB9lBCUtG
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) November 22, 2022

New Orleans just got through three back-to-back sets in three weeks. They went 4-2 with an overtime loss in Atlanta included but it was still a challenge. Now, the Pelicans have a month-long stretch with at least one night off between each game. New Orleans will have two sets in the last two weeks of the 2022 calendar year, though both will start at home.

The first set is against the 6-12 Spurs (at home) followed by the 7-10 Thunder in Oklahoma City. Gregg Popovich's Spurs have won just one game since Halloween going into the visit from the Pelicans on November 22. That win was against the Milwaukee Bucks. Green will have to keep the locker room focused after blowing out the Golden State Warriors.

Popovich might not have the talent to compete for a playoff spot but he is still capable of catching a contender slipping up. The Pelicans will see the Spurs three times in the next month. Snagging wins when they are expected to is just one key to true contenders clinching home-court advantages in the playoffs. It would also help keep the Play-In pressure off this spring.

There are also two dates against the Thunder remaining in 2022. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can win a game single-handedly but so can Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. They might have to show off those skills in the run before All-Star voting opens up.

Except for the five combined games against the Spurs and Thunder, the Detroit Pistons are the only other team with a losing record that the Pelicans will face in the next six weeks. Every other game is against playoff contenders. Fortunately for New Orleans, most of the contenders coming to town before Christmas are facing injury woes that remind Pelican fans of years past.

The Toronto Raptors will likely be without Pascal Siakam (groin) next Wednesday and Scottie Barnes (knee sprain) is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Ja Morant (ankle) has missed some games for Memphis and is still listed as questionable. The Grizzlies will be without Desmond Bane (toe) for a few weeks as well.

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, both in health and safety protocols, are just two of five contributors who have missed time for the Denver Nuggets in the past week. Aaron Gordon, Jeff Green, and Bones Hyland will all be knocking off rust when they visit next weekend.

The toughest six-game stretch will be a great early-season simulation to show the front office how aggressive it needs to be in the trade market. New Orleans will face the Phoenix Suns twice at home followed by the Jazz twice in Utah, then the Suns again in Phoenix. The Pelicans then return home to prepare for the Bucks.

A 4 picture side story to the main tweet: https://t.co/yrditRSZdJ pic.twitter.com/xD03AOHEPP
— Dodson, Chris Dodson (@DoingItDodson) November 22, 2022

Looking long term, the situation gets even better for New Orleans. The Pelicans hold a pick swap with the Lakers thanks to the Anthony Davis trade for Ingram. Depending on the formula, the Pelicans have one of the five easiest remaining schedules in the NBA. The Lakers have one of the toughest remaining run-ins, with most projections placing Los Angeles within the top 10.

Simply put, the schedule couldn't be more kind to the Pelicans in the next six weeks. Now, can they take advantage of the opportunity?

Read More Pelicans News: