Before last year’s matchup in Brooklyn, the New Orleans Pelicans were floundering a bit with a 28-26 record. They had lost five of six games after losing DeMarcus Cousins to a season-ending Achilles tear and were not expected to make the playoffs. Simply put, nearly everyone had written the team off.
But then came a simple contest against the Nets, and after posting a double overtime 138-128 victory, the Pelicans went on a ten-game winning streak and finished the regular season with a 20-8 record.
Could something similar happen again?
Just as last year’s team got a shot in the arm following a trade for Nikola Mirotic, New Orleans got Elfrid Payton back in their last game, a 123-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.