Even though this iteration of the team seems headed in the same direction as the last, how they are getting there is drastically different. The Pelicans may be close to the same in the win-column, but on the court there is at least a noticeable difference:
The Pels have been much more competitive on defense, and thus, the scoreboard. With 3 OT losses and 2 others by <5 points, the team has at least given themselves a shot at winning games. Even if they haven’t taken them, that says something about the on-court product. The question now, as with much of last season, is in the hunt for consistency and identity.