Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.
Good evening, folks. It’s Sykes, once again, here to usher you into tonight’s playoff action. But before we get into that, a quick word on the Pelicans.
New Orleans sure didn’t look like a team that belonged in the playoffs when they started the season 1-12.
But after their first-round series against last year’s Western Conference champions in the Phoenix Suns? There should be no doubt that these Pelicans not only belonged in this postseason, but they’ll almost certainly be back.
It took literal perfection from Chris Paul — one of the best three or four point guards of all time — to knock them out.
Brandon Ingram is an absolute star. CJ McCollum is the veteran point guard they’ve needed for a while. Zion Williamson will be Zion Williamson when he comes back. And that’s just the beginning of their core.
We can’t forget about Herb Jones who is already one of the best defenders in basketball as a rookie (even if it didn’t look that way in this series). There’s also Trey Murphy III who was the best shooter in this rookie class and Jose Alvarado who is the next generation’s Patrick Beverley.
We’ve seen this story so many times before. A young, up-and-coming team challenges a juggernaut and then eventually becomes a juggernaut following the lessons learned from defeat. That’s how these very Phoenix Suns became what they were. Sure, it took acquiring Chris Paul, too. But the special sauce was already there.
These Pelicans are up next. Good basketball is coming to New Orleans and it’s coming soon. And after this playoff run? It’s pretty clear the city is ready for it.
I’m excited to sit back and watch it.
