The Pelicans will kick off a four-game home stand tonight against the Trail Blazers. Although New Orleans has played well at home (7-5) this season, Portland is arriving with a 9-5 away record in tow and they’re particularly scorching at the moment overall, having won seven of their last eight games.
So, do the Pelicans have a reasonable chance of knocking off a team currently occupying the fourth seed in the Western Conference? I would argue yes.
Although Portland sits five games ahead in the standings, their average point differential (+0.6) is just slightly better than New Orleans’ +0.