Pelicans Can Clinch Playoff Spot by Beating Clippers

The New Orleans Pelicans clinch a spot in the NBA Playoffs play-in with help and a win over the LA Clippers. Containing a refreshed Paul George will be key to sweeping out of Hollywood undefeated.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers

When: April 3, 2022 @ 8:30 PM CT
Where: Los Angeles, LA Cyrpto.com Arena
How To Watch/Listen: Bally Sports NO, ESPN 100.3FM New Orleans, NBATV

Expected Starting Lineups:

New Orleans Pelicans: CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herb Jones, Jaxson Hayes, Jonas Valanciunas
Los Angeles Clippers: Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris Sr., Ivica Zubac

The New Orleans Pelicans (34-43, 9th Western Conference) can clinch a spot in the NBA Playoffs play-in with a little help and a win over the LA Clippers (38-40, 8th). The Pelicans have won three straight but Willie Green is not getting that far ahead in playoff planning. He is just keeping his team focused on playing their best basketball going into the last five games of the season.

After beating the Los Angeles Lakers, Green said, “It’s been a long journey to get to this point, starting the season off the way that we did. It’s a credit to the guys in the locker room and the people in our organization. More importantly, it’s a credit to God. Just keeping Him first in everything that we do. Giving Him praise and glory and just staying with it. Trusting. Believing. The season’s not over, we still have a long way to go, but we’re just building confidence and momentum at the right time.”

The Pelicans have won six of their last eight games. Containing a refreshed Paul George will be key to sweeping out of Hollywood undefeated. George scored 34 points in his season debut against the Utah Jazz. He will be limited to around 26-30 minutes but can do plenty of damage in that time.

Herb Jones will get another first look at defending an NBA All-Star. It could prove a helpful study guide if the Pelicans and Clippers meet again in the NBA Playoffs, which is very likely looking at the standings.

Ty Lue has coached the Clippers to the Western Conference's 8th seed without two All-NBA talents. Kawhi Leonard has yet to play a game this season, and George just returned this week. It's a team effort in the Clippers locker room, and this L.A. will not fold like the Lakers did when New Orleans had a 23-point comeback home win. Green cannot wait until halftime to pick the team's energy up like he did in McCollum's Portland return.

Reggie Jackson (rest), Nicolas Batum (ankle), and Marcus Morris Sr. (knee) are all likely to return for this game, though Normal Powell will not suit up. Lue wants to rest his players, not have to battle for playoff positioning on the last day of the season.

A win locks the Clippers into the 8th spot in the Western Conference, giving them a full week to rest and work out the rotations around George.

CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram might have to win a championship-styled shootout.

Valanciunas will be too busy banging against Ivica Zubac. Valanciunas is 14/20 from three-point range against the Clippers. He has scored almost 28 points per game in leading New Orleans to three double-digit wins over Los Angeles.

A win would earn the Pelicans a 7-0 record in the Crypto.com Arena on the season. A loss would increase their odds of having to travel to San Antonio for the play-in game. The Pelicans have the depth on paper, but the Clippers hold the advantage in the win column.

The Pelicans cannot watch too much of the Lakers/Nuggets game earlier in the day. They’ll have their work cut out for them on the night shift. Willie Green’s squad will have to work through another game with a playoff atmosphere to earn at least one extra home game in the Smoothie King Center.

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Clippers

Expected Starting Lineups:

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