The first and most direct rival that the Pelicans have is the Golden State Warriors franchise. After a sweep at their hands in the 2015 playoffs, the Dubs came into New Orleans to kick off the 2015-16 campaign and embarrassed their hosts in the first of 73 wins. That game was nationally televised, the first of many such games last year intended to highlight Anthony Davis and the entertaining core in New Orleans. No such luck.
Although the Pelicans are back in the darkness this season as far as national attention is concerned, the league knows what it has here, opting to air the October 28th matchup between these two teams on ESPN anyway.