The Houston Rockets open a five-game homestand that includes five losable games.
“But Armin,” you say, “the New Orleans Pelicans are 22-45! They suck!”
“Well actually,” I respond as I push my glassed up the bridge of my nose, “the Pelicans are 7-3 over their last 10 games. That includes wins over the Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriror, and Philadelphia 76ers. All three losses came on the road to good teams. Oh, and the Pelicans already have an incredible win over the Rockets back in December. Trust me, I was there and it sucked.
This current run has coincided with Dejounte Murray’s return to the court. Murray is averaging 17.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game in his seven games back. He’s given the Pelicans another shot creator and his defense raises the floor for the entire team.
It also bears mentioning that the Pelicans do not own their own first round pick thanks for the Derrick Queen trade. They have zero reason to tank, and this is their prime opportunity to test proof of concept with their current roster. If they play this well for the next month, they can keep their roster intact and add around the edges in an attempt to make a playoff push next season. If the team starts losing, they can decide whether a full or soft rebuild is the better route. Murray, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III are going to have suitors and each probably nets at least a first round pick.
After tonight, the Rockets play the Los Angeles Lakers twice, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Miami Heat (on a back-to-back) in Houston.
The Line (as of this post)
Looking ahead because we can
Monday night at home against the Los Angeles Lakers