In the midst of a rough stretch, if New Orleans is seeking positive reinforcement, it should look no further than the game tape from Dec. 27. On that Sunday evening, the Pelicans held the San Antonio Spurs under 100 points, the biggest key of a three-point victory. The win was sealed in the final seconds, when Eric Bledsoe blocked a DeMar DeRozan three-point attempt. Unfortunately for New Orleans (5-10), the team’s defensive performance began dipping shortly thereafter, a major factor in a 1-5 road trip and 2-8 January.
For the Pelicans to get back in the win column and improve to .