1) New Orleans (23-32) will practice this morning, before traveling to Portland this afternoon. Check Pelicans.com later for coverage from practice in Metairie. The team has a three-game road trip over the next six days to Portland, Golden State and the Lakers. All three games are on national TV (ESPN, NBA TV and TNT, respectively).
2) The Pelicans are 5.5 games back in the Western Conference playoff hunt, but have a few variables in their favor over their final 27 games.
3) Listen to Wednesday’s Pelicans Podcast, for a look back at NBA All-Star weekend with NOLA.com writer Christian Clark.
4) Programming note: the “Pelicans Weekly” radio show will not air tonight due to the All-Star break. It will return to the airwaves Thursday, Feb. 27.
5) Checking power rankings this week, the Pelicans are No. 16 on NBA.com’s list, with writer John Schuhmann noting, “Zion Williamson set a new career high for points. He totaled 63 in their two games last week, with 20 of his 21 buckets coming in the restricted area and with 27 total free throw attempts. The rookie’s free throw rate (54 attempts per 100 shots from the field) is among the highest in the league and after shooting 6-for-17 (35%) from the line over his first four games, he has shot 45-for-61( 74%) over his last six.” New Orleans is in the top half of the league by a couple sites, now 14th-ranked by both The Athletic and Bleacher Report.