A look at three key numbers related to Sunday’s game at the Smoothie King Center between Los Angeles and New Orleans (3 p.m. Central, Fox Sports New Orleans, WRNO 99.5 FM):
3: Games separating sixth-place New Orleans (27-21) and ninth-place Los Angeles (24-24) in the Western Conference standings, with 34 games remaining for both teams. The Clippers have emerged as a bit of an X-factor in the West playoff race, mostly given up for dead when they were 11-18 and injury-riddled, but 13-6 since and back in the hunt. The Pelicans entered 2017-18 with a primary goal of returning to the postseason after a two-year absence; that remains the top objective now, even with four-time All-Star big DeMarcus Cousins (torn left Achilles) out for the season.