Pelicans Set to Unleash Surprising Strategy Against Hornets Tonight—Can They Pull Off the Upset?

The NBA season has sprung to life with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster on a caffeine binge—fixing whispers, surprise contenders, and MVP chatter swirling like a smoky jazz club in full swing. Tonight’s bout between the Hornets and the Pelicans at 8:00 ET might not have the razzle-dazzle of a playoff thriller, but hey, isn’t there something oddly enticing about a squad like the Hornets holding their own despite missing key players? Meanwhile, the Pelicans, reeling from some questionable trades and a brutal opening stretch, are staring down the barrel of a must-win—especially with Zion Williamson, their X-factor, expected to lace ’em up. So, can the Pelicans finally unclog their offense and tame the Hornets’ buzzing energy, or is this just another sleepy night disguised as a potential trap? Grab your popcorn; this game’s got more strategic layers than a chess match played in the dark. LEARN MORE.

Hornets vs. Pelicans, 8:00 ET

There are a few reasons to be really jazzed about the NBA season: more news and drama have circulated the sport to start the year than I can ever really remember (sure, it is about fixing games, or at the very least, insider information). There are a ton of talented players actually suiting up (sure, some are on the injury list). Surrpise teams are playing well like the Bulls, Hornets, and Jazz (sure, the Thunder are undefeated). There are new MVP candidates like Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama (sure, Shai, Jokic, and Giannis are still likely favorites). Maybe you’re the guy in the parentheses trying to take away from the NBA season, but what you won’t take away is the successful campaign I’ve had so far, and I have another one I feel incredibly strongly about here tonight as the Hornets take on the Pelicans.

The Hornets are surprisingly decent to start the year. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and anoint them a winning club or anything. At 3-4 to begin the season, the team has at least look surprisingly competent. Those who are actually Charlotte fans will also recognize that the team has been without a lot of key players, including Brandon Miller. Grant Williams is out, and so is Josh Green. While they are both role players, they are at least veterans who can provide good minutes to the club. After opening the season at home, the team went on the road for three games and lost two of three. They then played three home games, and again lost two of three. This is the third game in four nights for the Hornets, but it is not a back-to-back game. However, they do have Lamelo Ball questionable for the game. Those who watch a lot of basketball know that it isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Ball to miss games because he essentially plays basketball as if he is playing horse. He wants to take the most difficult and stupid shot possible. He takes almost 20 shots per game and is at around 35% shooting for the season. Most of his shots come from beyond the arc. The team was significantly more efficient against the Jazz without him in the lineup.

The Pelicans are off to a horrendous start, and the problem is that it can’t get much worse for them. They look brutal in many areas, and thanks to some dumb trades, they really cannot afford to lose games and tank this season. If they do, their first-round pick is headed to Atlanta anyway. Perhaps the front office thought too highly of the Dejounte Murray, Jordan Poole, Zion Williamson combination. When Williamson is healthy and available, he is one of the best players in the league. Williamson has missed one game this season, against Boston. The Pelicans have had a rather tough schedule to start the year – they had to face Memphis on the road, a very strong San Antonio team, Boston, Denver, the Clippers, and Oklahoma City. This is their first easy game of the season, and they should be looking to finally get that win in the win column.

This isn’t a sexy matchup or game, but this is a game where you can do your damage against the books. Watching the injury reports is going to be key, but sometimes you have to take a risk on the game without being 100% sure of who is playing. I fully expect Zion to play in this game. Yves Missi is also questionable, but the Pelicans have Kevon Looney and DeAndre Jordan to help out, both respectable backups. The Pelicans have the better defensive team, and if Williamson is in there, I don’t know how they stop him. Last thing, the Pelicans have the rest advantage, and although they play tomorrow night on the road, I think this is the game they look to win instead of trying to reserve for Dallas tomorrow. I’m backing the Pelicans for multiple units to cover the -2.5.

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