CJ McCollum #3 from the New Orleans Pelicans will be facing off against D’Angelo Russell #1 from the Los Angeles Lakers in a showdown at the Smoothie King Center. The Western Conference play-in tournament is set to start at 6:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on TNT.
In what seems like déjà vu, the Pelicans will be taking on the Lakers once again after their recent loss in the regular season finale. This time, they will be up against LeBron James and former Pelicans player Anthony Davis.
As the 7th seed in the West play-in bracket, the Pelicans will host the 8th-seeded Lakers. The winner of this game will move on to face the Denver Nuggets in Round 1 of the playoffs. The loser will have another chance to advance by playing the winner of the Sacramento Kings vs. Golden State Warriors game on Friday.
Don’t miss the exciting matchup on Tuesday, airing exclusively on TNT nationally. You can also catch the game on the local radio broadcast on WRNO 99.5 FM.
Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans grabbed a rebound during Sunday’s game against the Lakers. Despite CJ McCollum scoring 25 points, the Pelicans fell short with a final score of Lakers 124, Pelicans 108. This result places New Orleans in the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a record of 49-33. The Pelicans missed an opportunity to secure a playoff spot but will have another chance in a play-in game on Tuesday against the same opponent at the same venue.
The game saw a tough second quarter for the Pelicans as the Lakers took control and built a significant lead. Brandon Ingram made his return to the court after being sidelined with a knee injury for 24 days, contributing 13 points and five rebounds. CJ McCollum continued his impressive scoring streak with 25 points, marking his seventh consecutive game with 25 or more points.
In the numbers, Jonas Valanciunas played all 82 games this season, joining a select group of players in team history to achieve this feat. The Lakers dominated in the paint with a 50-12 advantage over the Pelicans, while New Orleans committed 19 turnovers that proved costly in igniting the Lakers’ quick start.