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New Orleans Pelicans Gameday HQ

DATE OPPONENT TIME Oct. 28 Orlando 8:00 Nov. 1 Dallas 7:00 Nov. 3 at Memphis 8:00 Nov. 4 Charlotte 8:00 Nov. 8 at San Antonio 8:30 Nov. 10 at Cleveland 7:00 Nov. 12 Los Angeles 8:00 Nov. 14 Minnesota 8:00 Nov. 17 at Portland 10:00 Nov. 18 at Sacramento 10:00 Nov. 21 at Denver 9:00 Nov. 22 at Utah 9:00 Nov. 25 Sacramento 8:00 Nov. 28 at Atlanta 7:30 Nov. 29 at Washington 7:00 Dec. 2 Oklahoma City 8:00 Dec. 4 at Golden State 10:30 Dec. 6 at Los Angeles 10:30 Dec. 7 at Los Angeles 9:30 Dec. 9 New York 8:00 Dec. 10 at Dallas 8:30 Dec. 12 Cleveland 8:00 Dec. 14 Golden State 6:00 Dec. 16 Utah 8:00 Dec. 18 at Houston 8:30 Dec. 20 Portland 7:00 Dec. 21 at Oklahoma City 7:00 Dec. 23 at Indiana 7:00 Dec. 26 San Antonio 8:00 Dec. 27 at Chicago 8:00 Dec. 30 Phoenix 8:00 Dec. 31 at San Antonio 7:00 Jan. 2 Houston 8:00 Jan. 5 Washington 8:00 Jan. 7 at Charlotte 7:00 Jan. 9 Memphis 8:00 Jan. 12 at Boston 7:30 Jan. 14 at Detroit 7:30 Jan. 16 at Philadelphia 7:00 Jan. 18 at Toronto 3:30 Jan. 19 at New York 5:30 DATE OPPONENT TIME Jan. 21 Los Angeles 8:00 Jan. 23 at Minnesota 8:00 Jan. 25 Dallas 6:00 Jan. 26 Philadelphia 8:00 Jan. 28 Denver 8:00 Jan. 30 Los Angeles 8:00 Feb. 2 Atlanta 8:00 Feb. 4 Oklahoma City 8:00 Feb. 6 at Oklahoma City 8:00 Feb. 7 Chicago 7:00 Feb. 9 Utah 8:00 Feb. 11 Indiana 8:00 Feb. 20 at Orlando 7:00 Feb. 21 at Miami 7:30 Feb. 23 Toronto 8:00 Feb. 25 Brooklyn 8:00 Feb. 27 Miami 8:00 Mar. 1 at Denver 8:00 Mar. 2 at Dallas 8:30 Mar. 4 Detroit 8:00 Mar. 6 Boston 8:00 Mar. 7 Memphis 7:00 Mar. 9 at Milwaukee 8:00 Mar. 10 at Brooklyn 7:30 Mar. 15 Denver 6:00 Mar. 17 Milwaukee 8:00 Mar. 19 at Phoenix 10:00 Mar. 20 at Golden State 10:30 Mar. 22 at Los Angeles 3:30 Mar. 25 Houston 8:00 Mar. 27 Sacramento 8:00 Mar. 29 Minnesota 4:00 Apr. 1 at Los Angeles 10:30 Apr. 3 at Sacramento 10:00 Apr. 4 at Portland 10:00 Apr. 7 Golden State 8:00 Apr. 8 at Memphis 8:00 Apr. 10 Phoenix 8:00 Apr. 12 at Houston 7:00 Apr. 13 at Minnesota 8:00 Apr. 15 San Antonio 8:00 * All Times Eastern. New Orleans ranked 25th in defensive NEW ORLEANS PELICANS 2014-15 SCHEDULE rebounds per game (30.5) last season and 22nd in overall rebounding (21.3). But being better on the glass isn’t the only area where the Pelicans need to improve. They also need to foul less than the average of 22.6 per game, fourth-most in the Association. “We have to get better at that as a team. A lot of it is just IQ. A lot of our guys didn’t know foul situations when they came into the game,” Williams said. “So they’d come in and put teams on the free throw line.” Having Anderson healthy from his back injury is one thing that should help New Orleans be stronger defensively. Davis is a year older and the experience gained from playing with Team USA who won the Gold Medal at the 2014 FIBA World Championships, should also help. As is, his long wingspan and young legs make him a person who can erase many defensive mistakes. More wisdom and experience will only serve to make him a contender for Defensive Player of the Year. Having Davis and Asik around to anchor things will be of utmost importance as the rather inexperienced backcourt defense will let allow the opposition opportunities to slip by. Holiday, Gordon and Evans, while all physically gifted, none are what you label as defensive stalwarts. They can disrupt offenses with ball thefts, but against solid-executing offenses, they leave a lot to be desired. The key for the Pelicans will be to focus on a team-approach and have teams funneled into New Orleans’ strength (Asik and Davis) on defense. OFFENSE There’s good and bad news about the Pelicans offense. The good is New Orleans shot the ball well, making 45.9 percent of their shots last season, tying them for 10th best in the NBA. The Pelicans also averaged 13.8 turnovers per game, sixth fewest in the Association. But overall, New Orleans averaged 99.7 points per game, one of 13 teams who failed to crack the century mark, but some of that offensive malaise can be chalked up to a rash of injuries. Evans should return in time for the season opener after a preseason hamstring injury, but where does he play? Originally brought in to come off the bench, Evans played out of position at the three for much of last year, a less than ideal scenario. “I don’t think he’s a small forward,” Williams said. “He’s a good player and you try to figure


New Orleans Pelicans Gameday HQ
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