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Top 10 Pelicans Home Games of 2016-17: No. 3 vs. Nuggets

DENVER NUGGETS AT NEW ORLEANS PELICANSWednesday, Oct. 26

Why it’s on the list

In a scheduling oddity, Denver will be the opposition for New Orleans’ regular season opener in the fall, as well as its home finale in April. The fourth season of the “Pelicans” era of the franchise will officially tip off on Day 2 of the NBA’s 2016-17 campaign, a night expected to mark the New Orleans debut of several players who were acquired in the summer, including No. 6 overall draft selection Buddy Hield (Oklahoma). Denver coincidentally also should be debuting a lottery pick, in seventh overall choice Jamal Murray (Kentucky). In addition to Hield and fellow rookie Cheick Diallo (Kansas), the Pelicans acquired veterans including wing Solomon Hill, forward Terrence Jones and guards E’Twaun Moore and Langston Galloway during the ’16 offseason. With the departures of free agents Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon – both to Houston – Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis becomes the longest-tenured member of the New Orleans roster, now entering his fifth season. The three-time All-Star is the only remaining player from the 2012-13 squad, the last to be nicknamed “Hornets” in the Crescent City.

What’s new in Denver

Under former New Orleans front-office executive Tim Connelly, the Nuggets have made steady progress by drafting wisely and building a core that helps comprise perhaps the NBA’s youngest team. Since 2014, Denver has selected big man Nikola Jokic and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay, two pieces who should figure prominently in the franchise’s future. In this June’s draft, the Nuggets again added to their stable of potential key players, choosing the 19-year-old Murray, forward Juan Hernangomez (15th pick) and Malik Beasley (19th pick) in the first round. The only notable subtraction from the 2015-16 roster is backup point guard D.J. Augustin, who signed with Orlando in free agency.

Other 2016-17 games between these two teams

Sunday, March 26, New Orleans at DenverTuesday, April 4, Denver at New OrleansFriday, April 7, New Orleans at Denver