New Orleans Pelicans vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 20th 2024

Preview and Prediction

On Wednesday night, the New Orleans Pelicans will accomplish a feat that no other NBA team has achieved this season - facing the Cleveland Cavaliers after their first loss of the season.

The Cavaliers, who started the season with a franchise-record 15 consecutive wins, were defeated by the Boston Celtics 120-117 on Tuesday night. On the same night, the Pelicans suffered a humiliating loss to the Dallas Mavericks, with a final score of 132-91.

Cleveland, only the fourth team in NBA history to begin a season with 15 straight wins, trailed the defending NBA champions by 21 points at one point before narrowing the gap to just two points in the third quarter. However, they ultimately fell short for the first time this season.

Guard Donovan Mitchell, who led the Cavaliers with 35 points against Boston, stated, "We will continue to fight. This was a great test for us and unfortunately, we did not come out with the win. It was a fun game. When you are playing good basketball and winning games, you enjoy these moments. It is an honor to be a part of history."

Mitchell added, "We wish we could have kept the streak going, but it is important to remember that championships are not won in November. Our next goal is to avoid losing two games in a row."

Evan Mobley contributed 22 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists for Cleveland, but their second-highest scorer, Darius Garland, only managed eight points after shooting 3-for-21 from the field and missing all six of his 3-point attempts.

The Celtics took control of the game by outscoring the Cavaliers 39-28 in the second quarter, giving them a 65-48 lead at halftime. They were able to hold off Cleveland's comeback attempt and maintain their lead until the end.

Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson commented, "That big second quarter was too much for us to overcome."

The Pelicans also struggled in the first quarter of their game on Tuesday, falling behind 44-29 and never managing to take the lead. This resulted in their eighth loss in nine games, with the Mavericks scoring at least 34 points in three different quarters.

Head coach Willie Green acknowledged, "We came out lackluster. We need to start games better."

Trey Murphy III had a season-high 19 points and Brandon Ingram added 17 for the Pelicans, but their team only shot 39.7% from the field and committed 21 turnovers.

Green admitted, "We just got beat. There is no way around it. Our guys played hard, but they were just outplayed. They beat us in every aspect of the game. We have no excuses. We will learn and grow from this."

This game on Wednesday will mark the end of the season series between the two teams, just two weeks after the Cavaliers defeated the Pelicans 131-122 and achieved a 9-0 record for the first time in franchise history.

Mitchell scored 29 points, Jarrett Allen had 16 points and 14 rebounds, and four other Cavaliers players scored in double figures, showcasing a balanced scoring effort.

For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson finished with 29 points and Jose Alvarado added 27, but both players have since been injured and will not be playing in this upcoming game. They join Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, and Jordan Hawkins on the sidelines.

PREDICTION

New Orleans Pelicans

101

116

Cleveland Cavaliers

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Recap JAN 16TH 2023