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New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans gear up for post-All-Star break playoff push
The Knicks and Pelicans will look to improve their playoff positioning Saturday night, when New York will host New Orleans in the first game of the season between the teams
As the NBA season heads towards its end, the New York Knicks and New Orleans Pelicans are aware of the urgency required in the post-All-Star break stretch, which will leave everyone much closer to the finish line. The Knicks and Pelicans are both in the thick of jumbled races in their conferences, with the Knicks in sixth place and the Pelicans tied for seventh in the Western Conference.
On Saturday night, the Knicks will host the Pelicans in the first game of the season between the two teams. The Knicks will be completing a back-to-back set, having returned from the break on Friday with a 115-109 win over the Washington Wizards. The Pelicans resumed play on Thursday with a 115-110 loss to the Toronto Raptors, continuing a four-game road trip.
The Knicks have been on a hot streak, winning their fourth straight game and ninth in the past 13 games. They trailed the Wizards 57-38 just beyond the midway point of the second quarter before Julius Randle scored 16 points in a 30-7 run that bridged the halves. In the fourth quarter, they sealed a game-ending 6-0 run with a layup by Jalen Brunson with 42.1 seconds left.
On the other hand, the Pelicans have been struggling to find their footing, and their playoff picture is becoming muddier. They are currently in a three-way tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors, two games behind the fifth-place Los Angeles Clippers.
"Every game is important," said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. "You can sense the urgency in the players. They know what's at stake."
Pelicans coach Willie Green has already made some changes to his lineup, benching Trey Murphy III and starting Josh Richardson, who was acquired from the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 9, in Thursday's game against the Raptors. While Richardson was solid in 28 minutes, the Pelicans fell to the Raptors, trailing for the final 38-plus minutes.
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"We have to play like that -- not just the last couple quarters, but try to put that together for 48 minutes," Green said of the Pelicans, who shot 53.2 percent in the second half after shooting 37.8 percent in the first half.
As the Knicks and Pelicans look to improve their playoff positioning, the urgency and importance of every game will be at the forefront of their minds.
