Tonight’s road contest, pitting the Southeast division leading Atlanta Hawks against the winless New Orleans Pelicans has serious grudge-match implications dating back to last season.
For it was on February 2nd of last season that the Pelicans snapped Atlanta’s franchise best 19 game winning streak, by a final score of 115-100.
After that stinging loss to New Orleans, the 2014-2015 Hawks struggled to regain their elite-level form. Atlanta’s downward spiral culminated in an embarrassing four game sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers in last spring’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Fast forward to tonight’s contest, and Atlanta will be looking for redemption against the Pelicans in a big way.