Pelicans Punch Play-In Ticket, Lakers Draft Pick All But Procured

If you went to bed at at a reasonable hour on Tuesday, you missed the New Orleans Pelicans officially punching their ticket into the postseason after a 123-109 win at Sacramento, while simultaneously all but procuring the Los Angeles Lakers 2022 first round draft pick.

Needless to say, it was a good night for a team who began the season 3-16 and have been missing star Zion Williamson on the floor all season.

The primary goal for New Orleans now is to secure the 9 seed which allows them to host the San Antonio Spurs in the play-in tournament.

New Orleans needs to win a play-in "win or season ends" matchup with the Spurs for an opportunity to face the loser of a Minnesota Timberwolves versus L.A. Clippers matchup.

A pair of play-in victories would put New Orleans out of the play-in, and into the first round of the playoffs against the #1 seeded Phoenix Suns.

While the Pelicans continue trending upwards, the Los Angeles Lakers spiral down, much to the benefit of New Orleans.

I like those odds.

Every NBA All-Star in New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans History

30 famous people you might not know were college athletes

Stacker dug deep to find 30 celebrities who were previously college athletes. There are musicians, politicians, actors, writers, and reality TV stars. For some, an athletic career was a real, promising possibility that ultimately faded away due to injury or an alternate calling. Others scrapped their way onto a team and simply played for fun and the love of the sport. Read on to find out if your favorite actor, singer, or politician once sported a university jersey.