1) After an extended break between games, New Orleans (35-26) will try to extend its current seven-game winning streak Sunday at Dallas, with tip-off at 6 p.m. Central. Pregame coverage on Fox Sports New Orleans and WRNO 99.5 FM begins at 5:30. Watch Pelicans.com's Road Trip Preview, hosted by Daniel Sallerson, with discussion of the team's three-game excursion to Dallas, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Also listen to Friday's Black and Blue Report for discussion of the team's current situation.
2) Read about the return of Emeka Okafor to the NBA after a lengthy hiatus. Okafor has started at center for the past six games.
3) Read more on Nikola Mirotic’s first month with the Pelicans. The trade pickup is getting acclimated to his new NBA city and team.
4) The race in the Western Conference is so tight that New Orleans has changed places in the standings multiple times this week despite not playing since Wednesday at San Antonio. The Pelicans benefited from a couple results Saturday to move into fifth place in the West, vaulting ahead of both San Antonio and Oklahoma City, losers of games last night. With a win Sunday, New Orleans would technically be in fourth place based on a slightly better winning percentage than Minnesota (38-28), though it would essentially be a deadlock and the Timberwolves hold a tiebreaker based on head-to-head record.