Pelicans Aim to Rebound Against Thunder in New Orleans' Smoothie King Center Showdown

As the New Orleans Pelicans prepare to host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Smoothie King Center, fans are eager to see how their team will bounce back after recent performances. The Pelicans have shown a mix of resilience and vulnerability, with a record of 49 wins and 33 losses. In their last game against the Thunder, they struggled defensively, allowing 124 points with a defensive rating of approximately 137 – well above their season average.

Offensively, despite shooting an impressive 90 percent from the free-throw line and maintaining a solid two-point field goal percentage at 55 percent, they were outpaced by the Thunder's dynamic offense. The Pelicans also faced challenges beyond the arc, converting only 27 percent of three-point attempts.

Rebounding has been both a strength and weakness for New Orleans; while they managed to secure 37 rebounds in their previous game against Oklahoma City, this was still two rebounds shy of their opponents' total. Turnovers have also been an issue for the Pelicans as they gave up possession on eighteen occasions last time out.

The upcoming game presents an opportunity for redemption and strategic adjustments. The home-court advantage at Smoothie King Center could provide just the edge needed for New Orleans to regain momentum. Fans can expect Coach Willie Green to emphasize tightening up defense against Oklahoma City's potent scorers while exploiting any weaknesses in their opponent's armor.

With Brandon Ingram leading from the front and Zion Williamson providing his usual explosive presence under both baskets when healthy, there is every reason for optimism among Pelican supporters.

The action unfolds on April 27th at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans starting at 2:30 PM local time (CDT). Fans can catch all live coverage on TNT or regional broadcasts BSOK and BSNO networks.