The New Orleans Pelicans need to get back into the win column, and the Charlotte Hornets look poised to provide the assist.
Although the Pelicans find themselves in an advantageous position at 38-28 and sole possession of the fifth seed, the margin of error in the Western Conference is unforgiving. A third consecutive loss would put them in the same company as the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Clippers, and barely ahead of a 4-team jam at 30 losses — two of which currently reside outside of the playoff bubble.