By the time Friday rolls around, the New Orleans Pelicans will have played four of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference in a one week span.
It started with Saturday night’s home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, currently fourth in the East.
The tough stretch continues this week on the road, starting Tuesday night when the Pelicans go to Madison Square Garden to play the New York Knicks. The Knicks are currently third in the Eastern Conference. The Pels follow that up with back-to-road games Thursday and Friday against the Detroit Pistons (first in the East) and the fifth-place Toronto Raptors.
The Pelicans (25-47) won seven straight home games before losing to the Cavs Saturday night in the Smoothie King Center. Now they get to take their show on the road.
“It’s good for his group to have a measuring stick,” said Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego. “You’ve got to raise your level. It’s got to be a higher standard that we’ve got to have to go to beat these teams. We’ve held our own, But obviously when you go on the road and go against some very good teams - the top teams in the Eastern Conference- we’ve got to bring our best.”
The Pelicans have lost their last three games to the Knicks, including a 130-125 setback in the Smoothie King Center in late December. That game was Zion Williamson’s return to the starting lineup after coming off the bench in the previous seven games. Williamson scored 32 points that night, his second highest scoring output this season. But it wasn’t enough. That loss tied the all-time series between the Pels and Knicks at 24-24.
Making this game even more special is the Pelicans will be playing for the first time against former teammate Jose Alvarado. Alvarado, a fan favorite in his 4 ½ years in New Orleans, was traded to the Knicks at the trade deadline.
Borrego said he would text Alvarado and hopefully the point guard will take them to a nice restaurant when they are in town.
“There is no place like MSG to play in,” Borrego said. “I know our guys will be up for the challenge. Adding the Jose element adds another dimension to it. … Jose is always going to bring energy and life and spirit. He’s going to bring a competitive element for sure.”
The Pelicans are just 9-25 on the road this season. In order to improve on that record, they take on some Eastern Conference heavyweights.
“On the road, it’s a bunker mentality,” Borrego said. “Us against the world. The trusting of each other. Share the ball, move the ball and stay together. I know our guys are up for the challenge and we’re definitely going to find out more about ourselves after this road trip.”