2017–18 New Orleans Pelicans season
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record
37 January 3 @ Utah W 108-98 Anthony Davis ( 29 ) Anthony Davis ( 15 ) Holiday , Moore ( 5 ) Vivint Smart Home Arena 18,306 19-18
38 January 6 @ Minnesota L 98-116 DeMarcus Cousins ( 23 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 15 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 5 ) Target Center 18,978 19-19
39 January 8 Detroit W 112-109 Anthony Davis ( 30 ) Cousins , Davis ( 10 ) Rajon Rondo ( 15 ) Smoothie King Center 12,874 20-19
40 January 10 @ Memphis L 102-105 DeMarcus Cousins ( 29 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 8 ) Jrue Holiday ( 6 ) FedExForum 14,312 20-20
41 January 12 Portland W 119-113 Anthony Davis ( 36 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 19 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 8 ) Smoothie King Center 17,003 21-20
42 January 14 @ New York W 123-118 ( OT ) Anthony Davis ( 48 ) Anthony Davis ( 17 ) Cousins , Rondo ( 5 ) Madison Square Garden 19,812 22-20
43 January 16 @ Boston W 116-113 ( OT ) Anthony Davis ( 45 ) Anthony Davis ( 16 ) Rajon Rondo ( 8 ) TD Garden 18,624 23-20
44 January 17 @ Atlanta L 93-94 Jrue Holiday ( 22 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 14 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 7 ) Philips Arena 10,894 23-21
45 January 20 Memphis W 111-104 Jrue Holiday ( 27 ) Anthony Davis ( 12 ) Jrue Holiday ( 8 ) Smoothie King Center 18,212 24-21
46 January 22 Chicago W 132-128 ( 2OT ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 44 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 24 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 10 ) Smoothie King Center 17,101 25-21
47 January 24 @ Charlotte W 101-96 Davis , Holiday ( 19 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 13 ) Cousins , Rondo ( 5 ) Spectrum Center 14,588 26-21
48 January 26 Houston W 115-113 Anthony Davis ( 27 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 13 ) DeMarcus Cousins ( 11 ) Smoothie King Center 17,186 27-21
49 January 28 LA Clippers L 103-112 Anthony Davis ( 25 ) Anthony Davis ( 17 ) Jrue Holiday ( 7 ) Smoothie King Center 16,378 27-22
50 January 30 Sacramento L 103-114 Anthony Davis ( 23 ) Anthony Davis ( 13 ) Jameer Nelson ( 8 ) Smoothie King Center 14,292 27-23
The 2017-18 New Orleans Pelicans season was the 16th season of the New Orleans Pelicans franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Pelicans were coached by Alvin Gentry in his third year as head coach. They played their home games at the Smoothie King Center as members of the Western Conference's Southwest Division. The team's second-leading scorer, DeMarcus Cousins, suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury during his subsequent final game as a Pelican on January 26, 2018, and missed the remainder of the season. That led to Cousins' decision to controversially join the Golden State Warriors the following season. Cousins signed with the Warriors despite speculation he would possibly join the Los Angeles Lakers or the Washington Wizards to reunite with former Kentucky Wildcats teammate John Wall. Despite losing Cousins, the Pelicans clinched their first playoff berth since 2015 with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on April 9, 2018. They finished the season 48-34 to finish in second place in the Southwest Division. In the Playoffs, the Pelicans faced off against the third-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the First Round. On April 14, 2018, the Pelicans won the first game in the First Round playoff series which marked the franchise's first playoff game win since the 2011 playoffs' First Round series against the Los Angeles Lakers. On April 21, the Pelicans completed the playoff series sweep over the Trail Blazers, marking the franchise's first series win since 2008. It also marked the first playoff series sweep in franchise history, and the first time that a team seeded sixth or lower had swept a First Round series since the NBA had expanded the First Round to a best-of-seven series.