Pelicans' 2015-16 schedule features 13 games on national TV
The Pelicans snuck into the playoffs last season as the eighth seeded team in the Western Conference, only to be unceremoniously bounced in the first round by the eventual champion Warriors.
The NBA is betting fairly heavily that New Orleans is ready to make a leap to the league's upper echelon during the upcoming 2015-16 season, or at least become one of its most entertaining squads.
In addition to opening the regular season at Golden State in a nationally televised contest, as well as being one of 10 teams to appear on the all-important Christmas Day slate, the Pelicans will be on national TV a franchise-best 13 times.
New Orleans last hit that mark in 2008-09, when Chris Paul was still on the roster.
It's mostly due to the presence of Anthony Davis, who is arguably a top-three player in the league after just three NBA seasons. But a change at head coach is responsible, too, since Alvin Gentry is expected to bring an uptempo style to the team similar to the one we saw with the Warriors last year, where Gentry was an assistant coach.
(h/t: NOLA.com)
