Game two of the new era in New Orleans basketball is set to play out in Dallas Saturday evening. Although the Pelicans (23-35) and Mavericks (22-35) have nearly identical losing records, the rest of the season expectations couldn’t be any more different.
With the arrival of DeMarcus Cousins, the Pelicans have moved all their chips to the center of the table, hoping the NBA’s biggest trade at the deadline earns a postseason trip in less than two months time. Meanwhile, the Mavericks waived both Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, days after announcing they would be willing to tack on salary if future draft picks were attached.