New Orleans Pelicans LINES, ODDS, PICKS AND REVIEWS

How is the New Orleans Pelicans' History?

The New Orleans Pelicans are an NBA team that has been playing since the league's inception in 1988. They are also known as "The Pels," which is short for Pelican - their bird symbol adorning both uniforms and arena name plates alike. 

The Smoothie King Center is where the New Orleans Pelicans host their home games when they are competing in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pelicans are a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division of the NBA. The New Orleans Hornets were admitted into the National Basketball Association as an expansion team for the 2002–2003 season.

In the 18 seasons that have passed since they moved the original franchise from Charlotte to New Orleans, the New Orleans franchise has compiled an overall record of 740–864 (.461) during the regular season and has qualified for the postseason an impressive eight times. Two victories in the postseason series and a championship in one of their divisions are among their accomplishments.

How Were the New Orleans Pelicans Founded?

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based team that is now known as the New Orleans Pelicans, was formerly known as the Hornets when it was founded in 1988. Early teams featured quick-footed point guards like Muggsy Bogues, who stood 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 meters) tall, and sharpshooter Dell Curry, but like most expansion teams, they did not win many of their games. 

After drafting forward Larry Johnson in 1991 and center Alonzo Mourning in 1992, the team made its first playoff appearance (and won a postseason series) in the 1992–1993 season. Both players were instrumental in this accomplishment. After that, the Hornets qualified for the playoffs three more times in the 1990s, but they could never advance further than the second round.

George Shinn, who was the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, moved the franchise to New Orleans in 2002–2003, and the team was known as the New Orleans Hornets at the time. Since then, the team has been known as the Pelicans. After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in 2005 and caused extensive damage, the team was forced to relocate to Oklahoma City temporarily. 

They competed as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets for two seasons before moving back to New Orleans for the 2007–08 season. Following the 2012–2013 season, the Hornets officially announced that they would be changing their name to the New Orleans Pelicans.

How is the New Orleans Pelicans' Chris Paul Era?

The New Orleans Hornets used the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft to select Chris Paul. It made him the player with the most comprehensive selections. During Paul's first two seasons with the Hornets, the majority of the team's games were played in Oklahoma City because New Orleans was still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. 

Paul finished his first season with the total points, assists, steals, and double-doubles of any rookie in NBA history. He also became only the second rookie in the history of the NBA to finish a season as the league leader in total steals. He finished the season with final averages of 16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, earning him the title of NBA Rookie of the Year. 

He was narrowly short of winning the award unanimously, receiving just one vote shy of doing so. Paul played against Deron Williams early in their careers, and the two had a brief rivalry during that time. Deron Williams was the only other rookie to receive a vote for first place.

During the All-Star Weekend in 2007, Paul established new records in the Rookie Challenge by racking up 17 assists and nine steals. His sophomore season's scoring and passing averages increased, reaching 17.3 points and 8.9 assists per game, respectively. However, he could only participate in 64 games due to an injury.

Paul was chosen to participate in his first NBA All-Star Game in 2007–08,[32] in New Orleans in front of his hometown supporters.

With his direction at the helm, the Hornets spent the entire season competing near or at the top of the Western Conference standings. On March 17, after claiming victory over the Chicago Bulls, they even moved into first place for a brief period of time. At the end of the regular season, New Orleans finished with 56 victories and earned the second seed in the West. Paul finished in second place in the voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and was named to the All-NBA and All-Defensive teams for the first time in his career. 

Paul led the team with 11.6 assists and 2.7 steals per game and scored 21.1 points per game. He made his first appearance in the playoffs against the Dallas Mavericks and scored 35 points. With 17 assists in Game 2, he established a new record for the franchise in the postseason. 

Chris Paul led the Hornets (now Pelicans) to victory over the Mavericks in the decisive match by scoring 24 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 15 assists. The series was decided in five games. Their run ended in the following round when they faced the San Antonio Spurs and were knocked out of the competition.

The table shows the career summary of Chris Paul: 

How is the New Orleans Pelicans David West Era?

In the 2003 NBA draft, the New Orleans Hornets selected West with the 18th overall pick. West went on to play for the Hornets. A breakthrough year for West came in 2005–06 when he played in 74 games and averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a.512 field goal percentage. It came after he had recorded modest production in his first two seasons as a professional basketball player. 

In that season, he received a close second-place finish in the voting for the NBA Most Improved Player Award, falling just short of the winner, Boris Diaw of the Phoenix Suns. Due to the fact that the team did not have a true big man, he also saw some time at the center. He displayed an ability to perform well under pressure by making three game-winning jump shots, which led to the team's victory.

After the 2006–2007 season, West finished with an average of 18.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. West suffered an elbow injury that forced him to miss 30 games, but he managed to record five games with at least 30 points and 13 games with at least 20 points.

West once again increased his statistical production during the 2007–08 season, culminating in him being selected as a reserve for the NBA All-Star Game alongside his teammate, Chris Paul. Paul subsequently stated that he would prefer not to play with any other power forward in the league other than West because "he's not in it for the spotlight. All he cares about is getting “buckets" (scoring). In an interview after the 2008 season, West reaffirmed his desire to contribute positively to the team by stating that he does not mind being overlooked and would rather "play and be as effective as possible" when he is on the court. This statement was made in the context of his desire to be a team player.

After making a dunk on March 25, 2011, against the Utah Jazz, West landed awkwardly and had to leave one of the Hornets' final games of the season because of the injury. The occurrence took place with 22.3 ticks left on the clock in the fourth quarter. West suffered an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which made him unable to play for the remainder of the season.

West exercised his right to become a free agent on June 27, 2011, and thus did not serve out the final year of his contract.

The table shows the career summary of David West: 

How is the New Orleans Pelicans Baron Davis Era?

Baron Davis was only able to play in fifty games during the first season of the New Orleans Hornets because several injuries sidelined him. He successfully guided the Hornets back into the playoffs, but they were eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers, who Allen Iverson led. 

Iverson would later say that Davis was the most challenging defensive assignment he had ever had throughout his career. The following year's results were very similar to the previous year's: Davis could only play in 67 games due to injuries. The Hornets were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the Miami Heat, led by Dwyane Wade.

Davis's five seasons with the Hornets resulted in the team qualifying for the postseason, but the Hornets only advanced past the first round in the two seasons in which Davis started every game. Following the trade that sent Davis to Golden State, New Orleans was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. During the 2002 FIBA World Championship, he was a United States national basketball team member.

Baron Davis was a part of the Hornets organization for five and a half seasons. He was only successful with three and a half of them out of the whole bunch. The star athlete from UCLA was one of a kind. Despite his large frame, he had the explosiveness to get to the basket and the athleticism to make a spectacular finish. He was a point guard for the team.

Even though he was more focused on scoring than making plays, he was able to feed off the excitement generated by the audience.

The table shows the career summary of Baron Davis: 

What are the New Orleans Pelicans' Championships?

The New Orleans Pelicans are a professional basketball team that has never won a championship. However, they managed to win a division title in 2008.

Who are the New Orleans Pelicans’ Players?

The New Orleans Pelicans’ players consist of CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, Zion Williamson, and Jonas Valanciunas.

Trey Murphy III is on his way to becoming a rising star in the New Orleans area. Although it is doubtful that he will start right away, he should get a decent amount of playing time this season as a rookie. Trey Murphy III is one of the most talented players to come out of college in recent years. He has the size and strength to dominate inside, but he also possesses the agility and shooting touch to excel on the perimeter. This makes him a tough matchup for any defender, and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the NBA game.  

The table shows the New Orleans Pelicans’ players:

How did Gayle Benson's Ownership Affect the New Orleans Pelicans?

Gayle Benson’s late husband, Tom Benson, served as the Owner of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise since 2012 and the New Orleans Saints franchise since 1985. Tom Benson passed away on March 15, 2018, and Gayle Benson has taken over leadership of the New Orleans Pelicans and New Orleans Saints franchises. The native of New Orleans is a successful business professional and philanthropist who has deep connections to the neighborhood and is committed to making significant contributions to the expansion and improvement of the Gulf South region. His ties to the community are particularly strong.

How are the New Orleans Pelicans' last five years?

The table shows the New Orleans Pelicans' last five years:

What are the Symbols of New Orleans Pelicans?

The primary symbols of the New Orleans Pelicans are the Brown pelican, which is Louisiana's State Bird, and the Fleur-de-lis.

What is the New Orleans Pelicans' Logo?

The New Orleans Pelicans’ logo is represented by a pelican cartoon with the text “NEW ORLEANS” above it and “PELICANS” below the cartoon.

The New Orleans Pelicans, who were formerly known as the Charlotte Hornets, have historically been represented by a cartoon hornet in their team logo. However, this did not last for very long, and in 2014, a new symbol was introduced. This new symbol has a more modern appearance, and better fits the current name. Tom Benson, the new owner of the team, took care of the team's image, and he was also the one who started the modern era in the history of basketball in Louisiana.

An early version of the Charlotte Hornets logo featured a hornet in blue with a pointed stinger. The insect is depicted as having arms and legs, making it an anthropomorphic image. Some elements are associated with a sports theme, such as a brown ball and white sneakers. They think of it as being associated with a basketball club. The inscription "CHARLOTTE HORNETS," split into two parts and surrounding the drawing both above and below, serves the same purpose as the drawing itself.

They changed the team's name to the New Orleans Hornets after it was relocated to the state of Louisiana for the 2002–2003 season. Following the move, very little was changed to the emblem; the designers simply yellowed the ball, modified the font, and brought more attention to the letter "H" displayed on the Hornet's chest.

Because the layout and design of the previous logo were used, the graphics in the current logo underwent revisions between 2009 and 2013 to improve their quality. Hugo the Hornet, the team's official mascot, began to resemble the cartoon hornet in 2009 as it became more popular. The color of the blue has turned more emerald. 

The ball's contours and color also became more natural-looking, and the blue and navy blue colors on the picture became more vibrant. The only modification that was made was to replace the inscription "Charlotte H" that was located on the chest of the Hornet with the inscription "NOLA" (which stands for "New Orleans").

How is the New Orleans Pelicans' Uniform?

The New Orleans Pelicans’ uniform uses the colors dark blue and red. The dark blue variation has gold lining while the red jerseys have black and gold outline. 

When they first debuted, teal and white were the primary colors of the New Orleans Hornets' uniforms, with purple and gold serving as accent colors. They added a gold uniform to the rotation in 2004, and by 2006, it had taken over as the primary road uniform for the team, while the teal uniform continued to be used as an alternate. 2007 saw the addition of the 'fleur-de-bee' logo, which was placed on the right chest. The city's name was displayed front and center on each of the three uniforms.

While the Hornets were playing their home games in Oklahoma City from 2005 to 2007, they sported a modified version of their traditional white uniforms that featured the team name across the chest. As a symbol of their temporary location, they wore a patch on the right chest of their uniforms that was in the shape of a teal hexagon and contained the letters "OKC." 

In addition to that, they wore a unique white uniform that said "Oklahoma City" around the number and a red uniform that corresponded to that color and was worn on Valentine's Day in 2007. The charity auction consisted of the red uniforms being sold off one by one. The patch that said "OKC" was replaced with one that said "NOLA" on both uniforms.

As part of the transition to Nike as the uniform provider for the Pelicans in 2017, a few minor adjustments were made. Treatment of the "New Orleans" wordmark that was enlarged and condensed was introduced into the white "Association" and navy "Icon" uniforms. They did it in a manner analogous to the red "Statement" uniforms that featured the "Pelicans" wordmark. 

In addition, they continued to wear uniforms with a Mardi Gras theme as part of the "City" edition series, which received new iterations on an annual basis. In addition, the New Orleans Pelicans received an "Earned" edition uniform for wearing during the 2018–2019 season as a reward for advancing to the postseason in 2018. The designers used the Pelicans' traditional color scheme for the uniforms, but they substituted the Mardi Gras palette.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the National Basketball Association (NBA), several teams wore commemorative "City" uniforms during the 2021–2022 season. These uniforms featured elements taken from previous iterations of NBA uniforms. 

On the other hand, the Pelicans' "City" uniform for that season did not adhere to the pattern mentioned above because the team had already transferred ownership of the Hornets trademark to the Charlotte franchise in 2014. It occurred in 2014. Instead, the team opted to wear white "City" uniforms that featured the currently used color scheme and "NOLA" lettering that was shaped to resemble the flight of a bird.

What are the New Orleans Pelicans' Colors?

Navy, red, and gold are the official team colors of the New Orleans Pelicans.

You can find the New Orleans Pelicans team colors listed below in hex, RGB, and CMYK color formats:

Who are the Rivals of the New Orleans Pelicans?

The New Orleans Hornets do not have a notable historic rivalry with any NBA team based on occurrences on the court; however, the Memphis Grizzlies are a potential contender for an off-court rivalry between the two teams.

Both the Hornets and the Grizzlies submitted relocation requests to the Memphis market when they were still based in Charlotte and Vancouver, respectively. And we all know how that story ends.

This rivalry is founded on the Grizzlies playing in the city where the Hornets initially desired to play. It is particularly significant given that the impending conflict between Chris Paul and free agency is not a viable candidate for the rivalry's origin.

How is the New Orleans Pelicans' season-by-season record?

The table shows the New Orleans Pelicans' season-by-season record:

What Is the Average Cost for New Orleans Pelicans Tickets?

Tickets to see the Pelicans can typically be purchased for as little as $10.00, with the price typically falling somewhere between $48.00-$48.00.

Where to Buy New Orleans Pelicans Tickets?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has selected Ticketmaster as its official ticketing partner. The vast majority of NBA teams rely on the transactional engine that is provided by Ticketmaster.