LOS ANGELES LAKERS AT NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Saturday, Feb. 4 (7 p.m.)
Why it’s on the list
There are a wide range of reasons why the Lakers are downright detested by a sizeable swath of the New Orleans fan base, starting with the unsightly 2019 public trade demand and departure of Anthony Davis. The Davis deal itself actually gave Pelicans aficionados even more reason to wish ill upon the future of the Lakers, because the multi-pronged transaction included significant draft capital from Southern California. A lottery pick transferred from L.A. to La. is how Dyson Daniels was selected No. 8 overall in June by the Pelicans, who also have swap rights in 2023 with the Lake Show’s first-round pick. Add it up and it probably should not be at all surprising that the Lakers’ visit to the Crescent City was voted the home game hoops fans in the Gulf South are most looking forward to attending this winter.
Where it falls on the New Orleans schedule
The NBA made a concerted effort again in 2022-23 to reduce the number of one-game road trips teams make, creating a schedule that features larger blocks of home and road contests. That’s the case for New Orleans in late January and early February. Prior to the Lakers game on Feb. 4, the Pelicans have a tough three-game trek to Milwaukee, Denver and Dallas. The Lakers start a four-game homestand that continues with matchups vs. Sacramento, Atlanta and Cleveland.
What’s new in Los Angeles
A team in dire need of perimeter shooting and stingier defense got significantly younger and more athletic on paper during the offseason, executing an enormous shuffle of role players surrounding its three big-name players of Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. The most accomplished additions are veteran defender/irritant Patrick Beverley and wing scorer Lonnie Walker, a key bench contributor for San Antonio. Malik Monk was the Lakers’ biggest departure, signing with Sacramento. An array of late-career veterans from last season’s squad remain unsigned deep into free agency this summer.
Other 2022-23 games between these teams
Wednesday, Nov. 2, New Orleans at LA Lakers
Wednesday, Feb. 15, New Orleans at LA Lakers (ESPN)
Tuesday, March 14, LA Lakers at New Orleans
New Orleans record vs. Los Angeles last season
3-0 (1-0 at New Orleans, 2-0 at Los Angeles)
What was the most memorable Pelicans win in their sweep over the Lakers? A one-sided, total evisceration of the Lakers on the latter’s home floor in February? A momentous comeback in March from a 20-point halftime deficit in New Orleans? A dramatic three-point thriller in April that helped put the final nail in L.A.’s fading hopes to reach the play-in tournament? Tough to decide.
#PelicansHomeGamesBracket
After Memphis earned the No. 1 spot in last summer’s bracket, the Grizzlies reached the finals this time but were unseated by the Lakers, by a margin of 60-40 percent. L.A. throttled Boston in the opening round 73-27 percent, then eliminated Minnesota by a similar buffer (75-25 percent).