Nets at Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans' current six-game homestand - their longest of the season - is about to get much more difficult. The Pelicans hope to breeze past one more opponent before the degree of difficulty increases dramatically when they host the reeling Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
The six-game stay at the Smoothie King Center began with a 118-98 rout of the Orlando Magic on Wednesday but after the NBA-worst Nets leave town, New Orleans will finish the homestand with games against Cleveland, Oklahoma City, San Antonio and surging Washington. "Obviously, as the season goes longer, you have a smaller margin of error so anytime you play at home, you've got to try and win the games," coach Alvin Gentry told reporters Wednesday. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is because it's so difficult to win on the road. You have to take care of home court, as they say. We have six games and there are very tough teams in it." Brooklyn's 11-game slide is its longest in seven years and included a 104-95 setback at home against New Orleans on Jan. 12. "We're doing a lot well, just has not translated in the win column," center Brook Lopez said after Tuesday's 119-109 loss to Toronto. "I think we're definitely going to break through soon. We've just got to give ourselves a chance every night."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE NETS (8-33): Lopez scored 28 points in the loss to the Raptors and reached the 20-point mark in five straight games, tied for his longest such streak this season. Rookie Caris Levert continued his recent surge with 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and is averaging 10.1 off the bench over the past seven contests. Guard Jeremy Lin (hamstring) has missed each of the 11 straight losses but is reportedly nearing a return.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (17-26): Anthony Davis had 21 points and 14 rebounds against the Magic for his 27th double-double and was able to take the fourth quarter off, a critical period of rest for a superstar who has been banged up of late. "Every time something heals up, something else happens," Davis, who left with a hand injury after the first quarter but returned with his fingers taped, told the media. "Luckily, I'm not missing games with it, and they're just minor injuries so I can come back and play." Jrue Holiday, who had 21 points in the win over the Nets earlier this month, chipped in 14 points, five assists, a season-high five steals and two blocks in a solid 26-minute effort.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. New Orleans won six straight meetings.
2. Pelicans SG Tyreke Evans is averaging 18.3 points and 2.5 steals in 23.3 minutes over his last four games.
3. Opponents are averaging 115.5 points during Brooklyn's losing streak