Brandon Ingram, latest Western Conference Player of the Week, to lead Pelicans against Trail Blazers

Mar 28, 2023 - 1:00 AM

New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Clippers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/nWL5x9LzvuMV7bG31mdOHnnNrEA=/905x922:4968x3207/1920x1080/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72121253/1249470128.0.jpg" />

The New Orleans Pelicans have a difficult remaining schedule to conclude the 2022-23 regular season. Seven of their remaining eight opponents have records above .500 at the time of this writing.

Tonight’s opposition is the lone exception.

There’s no doubt about it. The Pelicans must find a way to beat a Portland Trail Blazers squad that has thrown in the towel, especially after reading their latest injury report.

Four-fifths of the the Trail Blazers regular starting lineup will sit against the Pelicans. So we won’t see Damian Lillard, Jerami Grant, Jusuf Nurkic and Anfernee Simons. Only Matissee Thybulle is available.

Take care of business, Pels, because this should be the last cupcake this season.

In other news, congratulations are in order for Brandon Ingram, the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played March 20-26.

Ingram not only led the Pelicans to a 3-0 record behind averages of 31.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 10.0 assists, he also posted the first triple-double of his career. His line of 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against the Hornets was a special one since it came without a single turnover.

He became the eighth player in NBA history to record a 30+ point triple-double without committing a turnover, joining Nikola Jokić (2x), Dejounte Murray, James Harden, Nikola Vucevic, Antoine Walker, Grant Hill, and Charles Barkley, per Pelicans PR.

Who: New Orleans Pelicans (37-37) at Portland Trail Blazers (32-42)

When: March 27, 9:00 p.m. CT

Where to watch: Bally Sports New Orleans, League Pass

Where to listen: WRNO 99.5

For more Pelicans talk, subscribe to The Bird Calls podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow this author on Twitter at @OlehKosel.