A look at three key numbers related to Tuesday’s game at Moda Center between New Orleans and Portland (9 p.m. Central, Fox Sports New Orleans, TNT, ESPN Radio New Orleans 100.3 FM):
65.4: Pelicans shooting percentage from the field Sunday vs. the LA Clippers, the second-best accuracy in any game in the franchise’s 19-year history. New Orleans made 53 of its 81 shot attempts, including going 41/55 from two-point range, which helped it threaten the all-time team record of 66.7 percent, set in a November 2014 home win vs. Minnesota. The Pelicans’ offensive attack has been so efficient and high-percentage lately that two of the best shooting games in New Orleans history have taken place over the past four weeks, including a 61.5 percent rate at Memphis on Feb. 16 that ranks as fifth-best ever. On Sunday against the Clippers, Zion Williamson again led the way, going 13/16 from the field, while in reserve duty Jaxson Hayes was perfect in six attempts and Josh Hart shot 5/6. As a team since Feb. 1, New Orleans is shooting 50.1 percent from the floor, third in the NBA behind only Phoenix (51.5) and Brooklyn (50.5).
25: New Orleans games this season in which Williamson and Brandon Ingram have both scored 20-plus points, the most for any NBA duo (according to Fox Sports New Orleans). Portland boasts a prolific duo of its own in guards Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, who probably would be giving Williamson and Ingram a run for their money in this statistic if not for McCollum being sidelined since mid-January by a broken foot. Prior to his injury just 13 games into the regular season, McCollum joined Lillard in both topping 20-plus points nine separate times. McCollum was off to his best start as a pro, averaging a career-high 26.7 points with a career-best 44.1 three-point percentage. The Lehigh product is expected to return to the court Tuesday vs. New Orleans, after missing 25 consecutive games.
15-6, 8-10: Portland and New Orleans records in clutch games this season, respectively, via NBA.com. Results in close contests have been the biggest thing separating the Trail Blazers and Pelicans in the standings and a major factor behind why Portland would be a playoff qualifier if the season ended today. Lillard dropped in a game-winning, and-one to beat New Orleans on Feb. 17, part of his 43-point, 16-assist performance. The perennial All-Star leads the NBA this season in clutch scoring, with 114 points. Only one other player in the league, Chicago’s Zach LaVine (105 clutch points), has tallied more than 86. New Orleans is led in clutch scoring by Ingram’s 46 points, followed by Williamson’s 39 and Lonzo Ball’s 20. Of course, the Pelicans haven’t had many opportunities lately, not playing in a game decided by even single digits since LaVine helped the Bulls prevail in the Smoothie King Center 128-124 on March 3.
PREVIOUS GAME STARTING LINEUPS
NEW ORLEANS (17-22, 11TH IN WEST)
Sunday win vs. LA Clippers
Lonzo Ball, Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, Steven Adams
Notes: This group is 15-17. … New Orleans’ most common quintet is 7-3 at home since Feb. 3, but only 2-5 on the road during the same timeframe. One of the home defeats during that span was Feb. 17 vs. Portland. … The Pelicans have won three of their last five games in Oregon (five of seven when including the 2018 playoffs).
PORTLAND (22-16, 6TH IN WEST)
Sunday loss at Minnesota
Damian Lillard, Gary Trent, Derrick Jones, Robert Covington, Enes Kanter
Notes: This group is 10-6 and immediately launched a six-game winning streak after it debuted Feb. 9 vs. Orlando. … Prior to injuries to McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, Portland went 7-5 with those top players in the starting five instead of Trent and Kanter. … The Trail Blazers have only used eight different starting lineups, one more than New Orleans. Ten different players have started two-plus games for Portland.
PELICANS KEYS TO VICTORY PRESENTED BY FAN DUEL
BLED-ZO VS. BLAZER BACKCOURT
New Orleans’ starting guards will have their hands full defensively as they try to slow down Lillard and McCollum. The Pelicans held Clippers shooting guard Paul George to 5/14 shooting Sunday, after Cavaliers top threat Collin Sexton was just 7/18 on Friday.
REINFORCEMENTS
Is this the best stretch of the season for New Orleans’ bench? Pelicans reserves provided a big spark in home wins over Cleveland and the Clippers, averaging 50.5 points. Hayes has three straight double-digit scoring games; fellow subs Hart and Kira Lewis contributed 13 points each against LA.
INTERNATIONAL MEN OF THE PAINT
Lovingly known as the “Stache Bros” when they were Oklahoma City teammates due to their distinct facial hair at the time, centers Adams and Kanter will square off in the Moda Center paint and vie for low-post position and rebounds. A New Zealand native, Adams ranks No. 15 in the NBA in rebounding average (9.2), while Kanter – who was born in Switzerland and grew up in Turkey – is fourth in boards at 11.8.
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