The New Orleans Pelicans had high hopes to begin last season. The team was coming off of a second-round playoff exit to Golden State, but the sweep of Portland led to massive expectations. Those dreams were soon shattered by Anthony Davis’ trade demand, but now the Pelicans fanbase is as enthusiastic as ever.
The statistical differences of the opening night rosters just serve to fuel optimistic expectations. The new matchup outlook with the Houston Rockets ignites reasonable playoff excitement.
The Pelicans beat Houston by 19 but only eight players logged substantial minutes. Surely Alvin Gentry will have more confidence in his bench to start the 2019-20 season.