Heading into Sunday, the New Orleans Pelicans were in trouble. They had fallen to eighth place in the Western Conference and were right on the verge of falling out of a playoff spot.
They were facing off with the Boston Celtics Sunday in the second-half of a back-to-back. Tuesday would then started the only back-to-back-to-back in the NBA this season. New Orleans would get one day off, and be given the task of the NBA-best Houston Rockets.
So far, the Pelicans have played the first four of those five games. They’ve won all four. In those games, Cheick Diallo has played 24, 24, 20, and 19 minutes respectively.