Tonight the Los Angeles Clippers (15-5) will play the second game of a challenging back-to-back travel-wise, having visited Cleveland in an 8 p.m. local time tip-off Thursday, due to the matchup being televised nationally by TNT. The Clippers are also on the final stop of a brutal six-game, 10-day road trip that began in Dallas, headed north to Detroit and Indiana, swung east to Brooklyn, then made yesterday's stop in Cleveland before coming to the Crescent City. According to Clippers.com writer Rowan Kavner, the team did not arrive at its downtown hotel here until 2:35 a.m.
Conversely, the New Orleans Pelicans (7-12) have been home all week and haven't played since Tuesday, a rare quiet stretch of schedule. As a result, it's probably imperative for New Orleans to come out with more energy and activity than its guests in tonight's first head-to-head meeting of the season with Los Angeles.
“We've just got to run,” Pelicans three-time All-Star forward Anthony Davis said. “It's always tough to come off a back-to-back, especially having a late game, then having to fly here. We had that before when we went to San Antonio (after a late Oct. 28 home game on ESPN vs. Golden State), so we know how tough it is. We have to come out with a lot of energy, and see where they are from an energy standpoint.”
“It really just comes down to how hard you play,” guard Langston Galloway said. “If we go out and bring a lot of energy and give it our all, that will take care of business.”
The Clippers gave Blake Griffin a rest DNP during Tuesday's loss at Brooklyn, even though it was not a back-to-back for Los Angeles. It's uncertain whether Los Angeles will use Friday's game as another opportunity to give key players rest or to what extent.
Other notes from Friday's shootaround:
Davis on whether facing the Clippers is a measuring stick for the Pelicans, who've gone 7-4 in their last 11 games and 5-2 with Jrue Holiday: “This is going to be a good test for us defensively, to see how we can come out and match up against their offense.” …
Pelicans rookie second-round pick Cheick Diallo has been assigned to Austin of the D-League for a second stint. The timing is excellent, because after a week-long break from games, Austin is in action tonight and Saturday for home games vs. Greensboro and Salt Lake City. Diallo averaged 14.3 points and 6.7 rebounds over six previous games with Austin; he ranks third in the D-League in blocks average (2.5).
