In the final game for both teams prior to the 2015 NBA All-Star break, two clubs seeking playoff berths face off in New Orleans, as the Pelicans host the Indiana Pacers. New Orleans, which last qualified for the postseason in 2011, is locked in a heated playoff race with the likes of Western Conference counterparts Phoenix and Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, Indiana finds itself in the unfamiliar position of needing wins just to get in the playoffs, after reaching the Eastern Conference finals two consecutive years.
New Orleans is on pace to post its best regular-season record since finishing 46-36 in 2010-11, Monty Williams' first campaign as head coach. Indiana probably never expected to be fighting for a berth in the NBA's spring tournament, but star small forward Paul George sustained a broken leg back in August while playing for USA Basketball. George's absence for all of 2014-15 so far has made the Pacers a dramatically different team.
Third-year Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis will be spending this weekend in New York City for All-Star activities Friday through Sunday, but he and New Orleans first hope to head into an extended break with momentum. The Pelicans, who won't play again after Wednesday until Feb. 20 at Orlando, have been very successful against Eastern Conference opponents in the Smoothie King Center this season. New Orleans went 6-1 in its first seven home games against the East through Feb. 6, including convincing victories over Atlanta and Cleveland. The only loss during that span came Jan. 5 vs. Washington. Conversely, Indiana has struggled big-time on the road vs. the West, winning just three times in 12 attempts.
The Pacers won the first matchup vs. the Pelicans on Dec. 23 by a 96-84 margin in Indianapolis, one of NOLA's lowest point totals of the season.
Intriguing matchup: Center, Omer Asik vs. Roy Hibbert
Hibbert has been notoriously inconsistent over the past two seasons, but he was a huge factor in Indy's win over NOLA on Dec. 21. The 7-foot-3 pivot blocked seven shots and had 14 points. The Pelicans missed 50 shots (33-for-83), but 12 of those were blocked by the Pacers.