New Orleans is in the midst of a Week 23 filled with matchups against some of the NBA’s elite squads, including the best, third-best and fifth-best records in the league all coming to the Smoothie King Center. What makes this stretch so vital for the Pelicans, though, isn’t just the caliber of opponents, but what’s at stake over the next few days (and beyond). Fifth-place New Orleans (44-28) is in the middle of the 4-8 race in the Western Conference, with only three games separating the No. 4 Clippers (45-27) from No. 8 Sacramento (42-30).
“I think it’s the point of the season that makes it significant,” CJ McCollum said after Thursday’s shootaround. “The (opponent) doesn’t really matter. There are a bunch of good teams in the league that can beat you. It’s more about (that there are) not a lot of games left and the standings are very close. You’ve got to be able to try to take advantage.”
Over the next three days New Orleans will host Milwaukee (46-26, second in East) and Boston (league-leading 57-15), with the Bucks making their annual visit tonight at 7 p.m. (Bally Sports, NBA TV, WRNO 99.5 FM).
CJ McCollum on keeping teams off foul line, game vs Milwaukee | Pelicans-Bucks Shootaround 3/28/24
Other notes from shootaround:
One defensive objective for the Pelicans will be to keep the Bucks from scoring in the paint and on foul shots (see below). McCollum on why New Orleans has been effective this season in that category defensively: “I think we do a good job collectively of moving our feet, having active hands, but not gambling too much.”
The veteran guard and President of the NBA Players Association added with a smile, “I think we’ve got great referees in the NBA, so that’s a part of it.” …
Dyson Daniels has returned to New Orleans after playing for G League Birmingham yesterday (22 points, seven steals at Oklahoma City), but is listed as out for Thursday’s game (left knee injury recovery). When the second-year guard returns to the mix, he’ll give the Pelicans another top option against quality offenses like Milwaukee. McCollum: “Dyson is really good defensively, versatile, strong, skilled. Ahead of his time in terms of that side of the ball.”
Guard Jose Alvarado (right oblique strain) has been downgraded to out for the game.
Milwaukee Scouting Report
Offensive efficiency rank: 5 (118.6)
Defensive efficiency rank: 14 (115.1)
Net rating rank: 8 (+3.5)
Streak: Lost 1
Go-to guy: Despite Milwaukee’s relatively inconsistent first half of the season, leading to a change at head coach, Giannis Antetokounmpo is third on the NBA.com “MVP Ladder,” behind only Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24 points, eight assists at NOLA two days ago). If he maintains that spot, it would be the sixth consecutive season that the powerful and athletic power forward has placed in the top four of MVP voting. He won the award in 2019 and 2020, then led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA championship, their first league crown in 50 years.
On the rise: Exceptionally popular among the Milwaukee fan base, Bobby Portis is the Bucks’ fourth-leading scorer at 13.5 ppg, despite coming off the bench in all but one of his 72 appearances (he’s played in every game this season). Portis has been heating up lately, with three of his top six scoring nights in 2023-24 occurring since March 4. On March 17 in an ABC game vs. Phoenix, he tied his season high by tallying 31 points.
Previous Game Starting Lineups
MILWAUKEE (46-26, 2ND IN EAST)
Tuesday loss vs. LA Lakers
Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
Notes: This combination has gone 25-12 this season, but it has only been intact a handful of times since Doc Rivers took over as head coach in January. Another Milwaukee starting five with Jae Crowder instead of Middleton at small forward is 11-6. … Antetokounmpo (hamstring) is probable, as are Middleton (ankle) and MarJon Beauchamp (back). Patrick Beverley (wrist) is out. … Boston has clinched the No. 1 seed in the East, making Milwaukee’s goal to remain in second over the rest of the season. The Bucks are two games ahead of third-place New York (44-28) and 2.5 in front of No. 4 Cleveland (44-29).
NEW ORLEANS (44-28, 5TH IN WEST)
Tuesday loss vs. Oklahoma City
CJ McCollum, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson, Jonas Valanciunas
Notes: This combination has gone 3-2, one of 15 different starting fives used by Willie Green this season. The team’s primary lineup is 25-15, a 62.5 winning percentage. That’s a 51-win pace over 82 games. … Daniels, Jose Alvarado (oblique) and Brandon Ingram (knee) are out. … Thursday’s game is another vital one for New Orleans. A win would give the Pelicans a lead of 1.5 games on sixth-place Dallas (43-29) and two-plus games over both Phoenix (43-30) and Sacramento (42-30). However, a loss would pull the Mavericks and Suns to within a half-game and game, respectively.
FanDuel Keys to the Game
DENY THREES
The battle between Milwaukee’s fifth-ranked offense and New Orleans’ No. 6 defense will play out on several fronts, including the three-point line. The Bucks are fourth in the NBA in three-pointers made per game (14.4), while the Pelicans are tops in the league in limiting opponents to just 34.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
LIMIT FREE THROWS
In another matchup pitting team strengths, Milwaukee is second in free throw attempts per game (24.5), while New Orleans allows the seventh-fewest tosses from the charity stripe (21.1). It could be a long night in the Smoothie King Center – in more ways than one – if the extremely-deliberate-at-the-line Antetokounmpo exceeds his average of 10.9 foul shots (leads the NBA).
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Other than both being small markets, New Orleans and Milwaukee don’t have much in common and aren’t even in the same conference, but Pelicans-Bucks again is a national broadcast Thursday (NBA TV). A prominent reason for that level of coverage? Meetings between Williamson (29 points, 10 assists Tuesday vs. Oklahoma City) and Antetokounmpo (29-21-11 Tuesday vs. LA Lakers) have been consistently compelling.