The New Orleans Pelicans will be at home this Christmas, watching the three teams closest to them in the Western Conference standings battle it out. While it’s important to keep an eye on the Nuggets, Grizzlies and Suns, don’t forget another team that deserves attention despite a lackluster record.
The Los Angeles Lakers sit 13th in the West, hovering near the basement all season. They’re on course for a very similar finish to last campaign, which makes their selection for this Christmas Day list all the more laughable, but there’s an upside for New Orleans fans.
ESPN sources: The pain has eased over the past few days in Anthony Davis’ foot and he should rest it for another 7-10 days and have it reassessed and see if he can return to play. For the moment, it is hoped that a procedure can be avoided. https://t.co/4B2RXiAZTV
— Adrien Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 23, 2022
The Lakers are listed as 8-point underdogs to the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day, according to DraftKings, indicating the loss of Anthony Davis is likely too much to overcome.
Davis has missed four straight games and it’s unclear when he’ll be able to return from a stress injury to his right foot.
The Lakers have only won twice in seven games when Davis was waived this season.
If you may recall, the Pelicans have the option of trading the 2023 first-round picks via the Davis trade which brought a slew of assets and good young players to New Orleans, including Brandon Ingram and the Lakers’ 2022 first round that resulted in Dyson Daniels.
The Lakers currently have the league’s seventh-worst record, which has a 7.5% chance of becoming the No. 1 overall pick, as well as a 31.9% top-4 chance.
A drop in the standings and those odds would go up, but either way, the Pelicans should be getting a pretty good draft pick from the Lakers this summer. We’re almost halfway through the regular season and they still remain outside even the top seeds of the play-in tournament.
So on this NBA Christmas Sunday, be sure to check in on the Lakers. Each loss in Los Angeles brings New Orleans one step closer to adding another substantial piece to an already promising roster.
Full Christmas schedule:
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76ers vs. Knicks (11 a.m. CT, ABC/ESPN)
- Lakers vs. Mavericks (1:30 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN)
- Bucks vs. Celtics (4 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN)
- Grizzlies vs. Warriors (7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN)
- Suns vs. Nuggets (9:30 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN)
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