Last fall, NBA analysts may not have universally picked New Orleans to reach the 2020 Western Conference playoffs, but most agreed that the Pelicans would improve upon their disappointing 33-49 record from 2018-19. However, after starting this season 7-23 – including a franchise-longest 13-game losing streak – even the most optimistic Crescent City basketball fan figured the Smoothie King Center was OK to start booking other events for late April.
Beyond the obvious, there was also substantial evidence from the past to support the notion that things were hopeless. In the 70-plus year history of the NBA, no team has ever had a longer losing streak than 13 games and still qualified for the playoffs.