New Orleans Pelicans will put their five-game home winning streak on the line when they face the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. This matchup marks the third meeting between the two teams this season, with the Clippers having won the last encounter 137-117. Currently, New Orleans holds a record of 14-30 in conference play.
The Clippers, sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference with a record of 34-34, have performed well against conference opponents, achieving a balanced 21-21 record. In contrast, the Pelicans struggle against teams with winning records, managing only 7 wins against 34 losses this season.
Los Angeles has been particularly effective from beyond the arc, ranking third in the Western Conference with a 36.3% shooting percentage from three-point range. The Pelicans, on the other hand, average 11.2 made three-pointers per game, which is 2.1 fewer than the Clippers allow. New Orleans scores an average of 113.5 points per game, while conceding 119.7 points.
In their previous matchup on March 2, the Clippers triumphed with Kawhi Leonard leading the charge with 23 points, while Jeremiah Fears contributed 28 points for the Pelicans.
Individually, Trey Murphy III has been a standout for New Orleans, averaging 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game. In the last ten games, Saddiq Bey has also performed strongly for the Clippers, averaging 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds. Kris Dunn has contributed 7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game for Los Angeles, while Bennedict Mathurin has averaged 19.4 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Clippers, shooting at a 45.0% rate.
In their last ten games, the Pelicans have managed a record of 6-4, scoring an average of 120.5 points while their opponents averaged 115.8 points. The Clippers have achieved a 7-3 record, averaging 123.8 points and allowing their opponents to score an average of 115.2 points.
In terms of injuries, the Pelicans will be without Dejounte Murray due to illness and Bryce McGowens because of a toe injury. The Clippers will miss Kawhi Leonard, who is sidelined with an ankle injury, along with Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Bradley Beal, both out for the season.
