The New Orleans Pelicans will definitely have to enter a tough setting for the their season opener against Golden State, and I’m sure that depending on the outcome of the initial game, they hope to return the favor a few days later seeing as the Pelicans will also will be the Warriors opponent for their home opener on either Oct. 30 or Oct. 31 in the Smoothie King Center. According to John Reid of The Times Picayune these changes may still not be final;
A leaked preliminary copy of the upcoming 2015-16 NBA regular-season schedule has been circulating for the past few days, but league sources confirmed on Thursday that the New Orleans Pelicans are tentatively scheduled to open against the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Oct. 27 at Oracle Arena.
Sources emphasized that the NBA could still make changes before the final schedule is released next week. Because of potential changes requested by the television networks, the NBA annually makes a tentative schedule in advance before the final schedule is issued. But if the game occurs it will be a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff matchup in which the Warriors swept the Pelicans in four games. The game also will feature Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry making his coaching debut against his former team.
New Orleans is also reportedly getting one of the prized Christmas Day games, and now another report has them getting one of opening night’s nationally televised spots, as well. All the national attention will only give Pelicans hybrid forward Anthony Davis more opportunities to showcase his jaw-dropping talent to the rest of the world, who may still have no idea who he is.
The Warriors closed out last season with the best record in the NBA at 67-15. They are also were the highest-scoring team, averaged 110 points in the regular season. The Warriors beat the Pelicans in three of four games, but the Pelicans ended a 10-game losing streak in April after stunning Warriors 103-100 at the Smoothie King Center. Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry also has mentioned he plans to install the same up-tempo offensive system with the Pelicans that he used with the Warriors that involves around pushing the pace, ball movement and taking quick shots.
