Thursday’s In-Season Tournament semifinal in Las Vegas figured to be a game worth watching for every New Orleans Pelicans fan. The team’s opponent will add even more spice to the proceedings.
The Los Angeles Lakers built an early lead and held on to beat Phoenix in the other half of the Western Conference bracket Tuesday, setting up a Thursday meeting (8 p.m. Central) between New Orleans and perhaps the Crescent City’s most disliked foe. It’s been four years since the Pelicans and Lakers agreed to a leveraged trade that sent Anthony Davis to California and Brandon Ingram to Louisiana – along with Josh Hart, Lonzo Ball and future draft assets that are still not entirely expended – but New Orleans fans still vehemently boo the purple and gold during trips to the Gulf Coast. The West clubs have played a few heated, intense games in recent seasons, including near the end of the 2021-2022 season, when the Pelicans won in Crypto.com Arena, bouncing the Lakers from play-in contention.