Dreariness filled the arena prior to the Pelicans’ loss to the Charlotte Hornets, but a first half filled with friendly surprises should have lifted everyone’s spirits high enough to make the tank a little more bearable Wednesday night.
Nothing was more indicative of the pregame hype level than one of the statistics featured on the video board during warmups: Dairis Bertans has averaged 11.1 minutes per game since joining the squad. However, by halftime, New Orleans had put together one of the most memorable first halves of season — no thanks to the limited group of available bodies.