As part of our continuing look at New Orleans’ 2016-17 schedule, the following is a breakdown of some dates and games to circle for the team’s backcourt players. Coming next week: a look at noteworthy aspects of the schedule for Pelicans frontcourt players.
RETURNEES
Jrue Holiday
With the point-guard position having become the deepest in the NBA, players like Holiday face a formidable individual challenge virtually every night. There are numerous stretches in which the 6-foot-4 floor general will have his hands full, but perhaps the most difficult comes Dec. 2-13, a dozen-day stretch that is extremely daunting. Over just a seven-game span, Holiday will match up against Chris Paul (twice), Russell Westbrook, Mike Conley and Stephen Curry. Brutal. Holiday, a 2013 Eastern Conference All-Star with the 76ers, will see his ex-team Dec. 8 and Dec. 20.
Tim Frazier
The reserve point guard is close friends with Portland’s high-powered duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, which makes trips to Oregon on Nov. 25 and April 12 special for Frazier, who was a Trail Blazer for parts of two seasons. As the only Penn State product to play in an official NBA game this decade, Frazier also had some local media on hand to cover his game in Philadelphia last season (this season’s game at Wells Fargo Center is Dec. 20). In addition, the Houston native goes to Space City on Dec. 16 and March 24.
Tyreke Evans
On Zach Lowe’s podcast in July, Alvin Gentry said Evans “won’t be ready for the start of the season,” making it difficult to accurately pinpoint notable dates for the versatile guard. However, if Evans is able to make it back in uniform relatively early in the 82-game slate, the Pelicans visit Sacramento – Evans’ previous NBA team – on Nov. 8 at the brand-new Golden 1 Center. A native of Pennsylvania, Evans would also look forward to a Dec. 20 visit to Philadelphia.
NEWCOMERS
Langston Galloway
As a Baton Rouge native, the Louisiana-born Galloway likely will greatly anticipate Oct. 26, when the Pelicans open the 2016-17 regular season at home in the Smoothie King Center vs. Denver. Many of Galloway’s friends and family will be in attendance. Other than his official homecoming, the combo guard will get his first chance to face his former New York Knicks teammates Dec. 30, followed by a stop at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 9.
Buddy Hield
The rookie and native of the Bahamas will play closest to home March 15, when the Pelicans are in Miami. In terms of marquee matchups featuring other highly-drafted first-year pros, the No. 6 overall pick first faces a top-five selection Nov. 4, against Phoenix’s Dragan Bender (fourth pick). That’s the first of five such meetings in November alone, along with two games vs. second pick Brandon Ingram and one apiece against Jaylen Brown and Kris Dunn. The recent University of Oklahoma star plays at Oklahoma City on Dec. 4 and Feb. 26.
E’Twaun Moore
The Indiana native has deep Midwest roots, having played high school basketball at East Chicago (Ind.) and in college at Purdue University; his most recent NBA team prior to arriving in the Big Easy was the Chicago Bulls. So the extended Martin Luther King Day weekend is particularly notable for the five-year NBA veteran – New Orleans plays at Chicago’s United Center on Jan. 14, followed by a visit to Indiana’s Bankers Life Fieldhouse for an MLK Day matinee.
