The New Orleans Pelicans gave fans a welcome Christmas present in a 2016-17 season that can only be wholly described as a lump of coal thus far.
The Pelicans defeated the Dallas Mavericks, 111-104, in a battle of the NBA's tallest midgets, yet these games are the ones you have to have over the course of a season. The home team can ill afford to lose to a sub .500 team on their home floor, and the Pels came up with the necessary team effort.
Anthony Davis had his usual hyper-efficient game.