In conjunction with Monday’s official release of the 2017-18 NBA schedule, it’s
time for Pelicans fans to get out their calendars and start jotting down a few
important dates. While Pelicans.com recommends watching all 82 games, the
following is a list of 20 games that are “can’t miss” in 2017-18:
Add to calendar
Wednesday, Oct. 18 at Memphis
The earliest regular season game in New Orleans franchise history (the previous
was Oct. 26, set in 2016) will take place at the FedEx Forum against the
division rival Grizzlies. Based on recent power rankings, head-to-head games vs.
Memphis could be important as New Orleans tries to climb the Western Conference
standings. NBA.com recently ranked the Pelicans 16th, just ahead of No. 17
Portland and No. 18 Memphis.
Friday, Oct. 20 vs. Golden State (ESPN)
For some reason, the NBA schedule-maker loves to pit the Pelicans against the
Warriors early in the slate each year. In 2015, the Pelicans were the visitors
on the night when Golden State held their championship-ring ceremony. In 2016,
the Warriors were also guests in the Smoothie King Center for the Pelicans’
second game of the 82-game schedule.
The Pelicans begin a three-game West Coast trip in Staples Center, facing
much-hyped and discussed rookie guard Lonzo Ball, who at this stage will be less
than a week into his official NBA career. Los Angeles figures to be an improved
club, having added veterans Brook Lopez and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope from East
teams.
Thursday, Oct. 26 at Sacramento (TNT)
While on a Basketball Without Borders trip to South Africa, DeMarcus Cousins
told ESPN’s Marc Spears that he hoped New Orleans would open the regular season
at Sacramento, where Cousins played the first 6 1/2 years of his NBA career.
Cousins will have to “settle” for playing in front of many friendly faces at
Golden 1 Center in the Pelicans’ fifth game.
Saturday, Oct. 28 vs. Cleveland
New Orleans plays just two home games out of its first six contests overall –
and both are against defending conference champions. Eight days after facing
hosting NBA titlist Golden State in the Smoothie King Center, three-time East
champ Cleveland and LeBron James will pay a visit. The Pelicans pulled off a
home upset over the Cavaliers last season, despite Anthony Davis being
sidelined.
Wednesday, Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota
The Timberwolves enjoyed one of the NBA’s best offseasons (ranked the sixth-best
summer by NBA.com’s David Aldridge), adding veteran reinforcements Jimmy Butler,
Jeff Teague, Taj Gibson and Jamal Crawford. Minnesota-New Orleans already had
the makings of a budding rivalry, with multiple No. 1 overall draft picks and
rising stars on the floor, including Davis and the Wolves’ duo of Karl-Anthony
Towns and Andrew Wiggins.
Saturday, Nov. 4 at Chicago
New Orleans’ new starting point guard, Rajon Rondo, makes an early-season visit
to the United Center, facing his previous NBA team and many of the young Bulls
players he helped mentor during the ’16-17 season. Chicago has almost completely
revamped its roster, a push that began with the trade of Butler to Minnesota on
draft night.
Friday, Nov. 17 at Denver (ESPN)
With an offense revolving around the high-post passing brilliance of center
Nikola Jokic, the Nuggets created the model for a portion of how the Pelicans
and Cousins will attack defenses at times this season. Jokic – a candidate to
make his first All-Star appearance in February – will have his hands full
combating the All-Star duo of Cousins and Davis in the paint and on the
backboards.
Monday, Nov. 20 vs. Oklahoma City
The Thunder’s star tandem of longtime franchise stalwart Russell Westbrook and
trade acquisition Paul George will face off against the Pelicans for the first
time in ’17-18, the only early-season matchup between the West squads. Closer to
the basket, Davis and Cousins will match up against OKC’s “Stache Brothers” of
Steven Adams and Enes Kanter.
Sunday, Dec. 10 vs. Philadelphia
Is “The Process” finally ready to yield tangible results, perhaps even a playoff
berth? The 76ers hope so, headlined by the recent lottery trio of Joel Embiid,
Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. The latter two Philadelphia youngsters combine
with the Pelicans’ Davis to make three recent No. 1 overall draftees in the same
game. The 76ers also added experience in the offseason by signing J.J. Redick
and Amir Johnson.
Saturday, Dec. 30 vs. New York
The Pelicans don’t play on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s
Day or Martin Luther King Jr. Day this season, so the closest they’ll come to a
“holiday” home game is this tilt against the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis and
Davis are a pair of rangy, athletic forwards who are also exceptionally skilled,
often making this a fun matchup. Davis racked up 40 points and 18 rebounds at
New York last season.
Tuesday, Jan. 16 at Boston
Rondo makes his only visit of the season to TD Garden, where in 2008 he piloted
the Celtics to an NBA championship as their starting point guard, part of a
star-studded lineup that included Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Rondo went 2-0 in the playoffs this spring at Boston, leading the eighth-seeded
Bulls to a surprising series lead, before a broken thumb ended Rondo’s season
and helped turn the momentum in Boston’s favor.
Friday, Jan. 26 vs. Houston (ESPN)
Already one of the NBA’s most potent offensive teams, the Rockets added
firepower this summer by acquiring Chris Paul from the Clippers, in exchange for
a large package of role players. Paul joins last season’s MVP runner-up, James
Harden, to form an explosive backcourt. This is the first of Houston’s two
visits to the Smoothie King Center, with the latter taking place on St.
Patrick’s Day.
Sunday, Jan. 28 vs. L.A. Clippers
If most national preseason predictions are accurate, these two teams could be
vying for footing in the same echelon of the West standings. Seven days prior to
Super Bowl Sunday, the frontcourt battles should be very entertaining when Davis
and Cousins go up against the Clips’ combo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan.
Monday, Feb. 12 at Detroit
New Orleans will visit the Pistons in downtown Detroit for the first time, at
brand-new Little Caesars Arena (Michigan’s NBA franchise had played in the
city’s suburbs since the late 1980s). Davis may be sad to see the Palace of
Auburn Hills go as an NBA venue, because the best scoring game of his career
took place there (59 points against the Pistons on Feb. 21, 2016).
Sunday, Feb. 25 at Milwaukee
This is actually the second matchup of the season between the Pelicans and Bucks
(the first is Dec. 13 in New Orleans), but this meeting is a bit more
noteworthy, as the final time New Orleans will play in the Bradley Center.
Milwaukee is opening a brand-new arena in 2018-19 that is currently under
construction next door. Regardless of location, Pelicans-Bucks is always a
captivating watch due to the presence of athletic marvels Davis and Giannis
Antetokounmpo.
Tuesday, March 6 at L.A. Clippers (TNT)
New Orleans won’t play on the Clippers’ home floor until this early-March
meeting at Staples Center, but both of its two visits are scheduled for national
TV. The Pelicans also face the Clippers in Los Angeles on April 9, a game that
will be broadcast by ESPN.
Friday, March 9 vs. Washington
New Orleans hosts one of the premier teams from the East, starting a stretch
that could be critical for the home team. From March 9-22, the Pelicans play
seven of eight games in their arena, one of the most home-friendly stretches for
them all season. Other ’17 playoff teams to visit NOLA during this span are
Utah, Houston and Boston.
Wednesday, March 4 vs. Memphis (ESPN)
Pelicans appearances on national TV are very back-loaded in ’17-18, with three
of their final seven games carried by ESPN (after five of the team’s first 75
games are on ESPN or TNT). Five days after playing at Cleveland on ESPN (March
30), this will be the head-to-head finale between these Southwest Division
squads.
Wednesday, April 11 vs. San Antonio
In the Pelicans’ home finale at the Smoothie King Center, they will host the
Spurs in Game 82. That’s a repeat of the scheduling scenario that closed out the
2014-15 regular season, when New Orleans posted arguably the most memorable
regular-season win in team history, defeating San Antonio to qualify for the
final playoff berth in the West.
Player: DeMarcus Cousins
Player: Anthony Davis
Player: Jrue Holiday
Player: Rajon Rondo
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Media Keywords: NBA, Sports, New Orleans Pelicans, DeMarcus Cousins, Anthony
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Taxonomy: 2017-18 schedule, NBA, pelicans
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