Last season, Charlotte surprised many around the NBA by winning 44 games and advancing to the playoffs, ending the franchise's multi-year postseason drought. This season, New Orleans would love to produce a similar success story and emerge as a playoff team for the first time since 2011. The clubs will face off Tuesday in the Smoothie King Center, the first of two interconference head-to-head matchups in 2014-15.
Only two years removed from the worst single-season record (7-59) in NBA history during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign, Charlotte built a winning club in 2013-14, partly behind the ingenius free-agent signing of center Al Jefferson. The Hornets – who changed their nickname from Bobcats this summer – have steadily improved their roster through the draft, but Jefferson was the final piece to a quality team. The Pelicans may have found a similar formula, after trading for center Omer Asik in July. Asik began his first Pelicans season by producing one of the best games of his NBA career, featuring 14 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks in a win over Orlando on Oct. 28.
Like Charlotte – which has drafted the likes of Kemba Walker, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson and Cody Zeller in recent years – New Orleans is relying heavily on key young players. However, the Pelicans have used a divergent team-building strategy, opting to bring in talent through free agency and trades.
At the center of New Orleans' future is Anthony Davis, the No. 1 overall draft pick of the '12 draft class. Coincidentally, the top spot in the '12 draft lottery came down to New Orleans and Charlotte, but the ping-pong balls bounced NOLA's way. Charlotte picked Kidd-Gilchrist, a college teammate of Davis, second overall that year. The Hornets also feature former NOLA guards Brian Roberts and Jannero Pargo.
Intriguing matchup: Shooting guard, Eric Gordon vs. Lance Stephenson
Stephenson signed with Charlotte in the offseason, a departure from Indiana that appears to be very costly for the Pacers after star Paul George sustained what may be a season-ending injury in a USA Basketball scrimmage. Gordon is off to a good start defensively in 2014-15, highlighted by a two-block, two-steal game vs. Orlando. Stephenson is a multi-dimensional force that the Pelicans will try to limit on their defensive end.