Saturday, April 11 (6 p.m.)
Why it’s on the list
With NBA.com’s recent Eastern Conference power rankings listing Philadelphia second, behind only Milwaukee, the 76ers should be one of the league’s premier teams. For the Pelicans to improve upon their chances of returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence, they’ll probably need to be much more effective in the Smoothie King Center vs. the East, having finished just 5-10 last season (after starting 4-1, highlighted by a miraculous comeback vs. Brooklyn).
Where it falls on the New Orleans schedule
The Pelicans oddly play a majority of their late-season games against the East, including seven of their final 10.