OKC Thunder vs. New Orleans Pelicans, 2019-20 team preview
The New Orleans Pelicans won draft night adding a quartet of talent including a potential superstar. The OKC Thunder will hope to replicate their fortune this June but how will the clubs matchup in 2019-20.
Entering this season the OKC Thunder arrives with a substantially different roster. Sam Presti made the best of the situation adding tradeable assets, a core asset to begin building around and a stocked draft closet.
The revamped roster is set to begin the season but if there is a template for OKC to emulate next summer it may well be the New Orleans Pelicans. Granted Presti may want to get a head start searching for lucky ties.
Last season the constant dog and pony show of the Lakers to force an Anthony Davis trade occupied much of the NBA news cycle. As their efforts ramped up to get the deal done before the trade deadline the young Lakers being named as trade bait became disenchanted. Likewise, Pelicans fans were miffed at Davis for his naivety over the pressure tactics used.
In his final appearance for the Pelicans, he sported a Looney Toons “That’s all folks” t-shirt which will forever be the image ingrained in our minds. Ultimately it cost Pels GM Dell Demps his job for likely doing what he was told.
In the end, it was all a moot point as Davis got precisely what he wanted, but at least the Pelicans franchise made the best they could of a situation costing them a generational talent. That was due much to the credit of new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, David Griffin who made quick haste of correcting the downward slope and jettisoned the New Orleans franchise right back into the mix.
The Basics:
2018-19 Record: 33-49
Lottery Seed: Landed the top draft pick.
Head Coach: Alvin Gentry begins his fifth season as the bench boss.
Points per game: Ranked 3rd (115.4) | Opponent points per game: Ranked 27th (116.8)
Pace: Ranked 3rd (103.3) | Offensive Rating: Ranked 13th (111.4) | Defensive Rating: Ranked 23rd (112.6)
Vegas Odds:
Win-Loss: 39.5 games
Odds to NBA Title: +7173
Odds to Win Conference: +4737
* Odds courtesy of The Action Network.
The OKC Thunder split the regular-season series against the Pelicans. Next up, let’s look at the offseason changes made by New Orleans and review what to expect when the team’s tipoff versus each other in their four contests.