NEW ORLEANS — The Pelicans are in the playoffs!
After a heart stopping victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the finale of the play-in tournament, the New Orleans Pelicans have done what many thought was unthinkable after an abysmal 3-14 start, and have qualified for the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Their reward? A matchup with the NBA's best team record-wise, the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns and Pelicans faced off four times during the regular season, with the Suns winning three of the matchups. Each matchup was won by double digits.
The Suns are primarily led by a familiar face: former New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul. Other key players include guard Devin Booker, who's averaging 27 points a game against the Pelicans this season, and former first overall pick center Deandre Ayton. The trio led the Suns to an astounding 64-18 record this season.
Playoff Schedule
Games 1 and 2 will take place at Footprint Center in Phoenix, and are scheduled to tip-off at 8 and 9 p.m. on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively. Games 3 and 4 at the Smoothie King Center are scheduled for Friday and next Sunday, with both games scheduled to tip-off at 8:30 p.m.. A potential game 5 and game 7 would take place in Phoenix, while a potential game 6 would take place in New Orleans.
TNT will broadcast games 1, 2, 4, and a potential game 7, while ESPN will broadcast game 3. Broadcast plans and times for games 5 and 6 are still unclear.
Ticket Information
Tickets are already on sale for games 3 and 4 at the Smoothie King Center. Tickets can be bought for as low as $50 for game 3 and $40 for game 4, but the majority of seats in the Smoothie King Center are already sold out.