1) Happy New Year! Week 12 of the NBA regular season is a relatively light one schedule-wise for New Orleans (18-18), which will only play two games, both on the road. First up is a Wednesday visit to Utah (16-21, 2.5 games behind New Orleans), followed by a Saturday game at Minnesota (23-14, 4.5 games ahead of New Orleans).
2) With 2017 in the books, take a look back at numerous top 10 lists from the year, including the best photo galleries from the previous 365 days.
3) Based on the outcomes of weekend games, the Pelicans’ lead on eighth place in the Western Conference has narrowed. Entering Monday’s quiet four-game night around the NBA, New Orleans is just 1.5 games ahead of the ninth-place Clippers (16-19), who beat Charlotte on New Year’s Eve.
4) The Pelicans will practice this afternoon at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Check Pelicans.com later for coverage.
5) New Orleans won’t play at home again until a week from today, on Jan. 8 vs. Detroit. Tickets are available here.