The Pelicans are continuing to flirt with the playoffs as they got another must-win victory in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, defeating the Lakers by a score of 113-92. After the Thunder lost to the Mavericks earlier in the day, the playoff window for the Pelicans remains slightly open. The team has now won three straight games and is getting healthier just in time for the most important stretch of the season.
Anthony Davis had his usual great game, putting up 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks in an efficient outing. However, the main story for the Pelicans was the return of forward Ryan Anderson. Anderson missed the last eighteen games due to a knee injury, and when healthy has proven to be one of the team’s most important players and a huge contributor off the bench. While sporting a knee brace, Anderson played 21 minutes and scored 17 points off the bench. Norris Cole matched Anderson’s 17 points, helping out the once weak Pelicans bench score 39 points. Andersons return to the team could not have come at a better time, as with only 8 games left on the schedule the team needs to win almost all of them to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Next on the Pelicans schedule the team will visit the Kings and Trailblazers before returning home to host the league’s best team in the Golden State Warriors, so even as the team inches closer to the 8 seed the games aren’t going to be getting any easier. New Orleans is now only 1.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder for the western conferences 8th and final spot, and with only two weeks left of the regular season, it’s crunch time.