{'byline': 'by Jeff Nowak', 'hosts': '', 'byline_sources': 'WWL Radio Sports', 'audience_id': '', 'original_station': [{'station': 'wwl', 'path': 'wwl/local-sports/pelicans/pelicans-land-in-play-in-for-3rd-year-heres-how-it-works'}], 'syndicated_items': '', 'original_item': {'_index': 'published-content_v44', '_type': '_doc', '_score': None, '_source': {'date': '2024-04-15T15:11:04.762+00:00', 'lead': [{'data': {'text': 'Daily Motion Video', 'video': {'id': 'k6ZebVJR1yLCPGAsmxK', 'name': 'Can Anyone in the West Beat the Nuggets?', 'imageUrl': 'https://s1.dmcdn.net/v/W70Va1c6gAkX52sUt', 'updated_at': 1712964483, 'delivery_type': 'vod'}, 'duration': 'P0D', 'newVideo': None, 'showTitle': False, 'clickToPlay': False, 'searchVideo': {'id': 'k6ZebVJR1yLCPGAsmxK', 'name': 'Can Anyone in the West Beat the Nuggets?', 'imageUrl': 'https://s1.dmcdn.net/v/W70Va1c6gAkX52sUt', 'm3u8Source': None, 'updated_at': 1712964483, 'delivery_type': 'vod'}, 'updateVideo': {'id': 'k6ZebVJR1yLCPGAsmxK', 'name': 'Can Anyone in the West Beat the Nuggets?', 'imageUrl': 'https://s1.dmcdn.net/v/W70Va1c6gAkX52sUt', 'm3u8Source': None, 'updated_at': 1712964483, 'delivery_type': 'vod'}, 'seoContentUrl': 'https://www.audacy.com/_pages/clv120elj000j01ptq4qxfyep@published', 'autoplayUnmuted': False, 'durationSeconds': None, 'playerLibrarySrc': 'https://geo.dailymotion.com/libs/player/xrhbo.js', 'componentVariation': 'dailymotion', 'seoEmbedUrl': 'https://players.dailymotion.net/undefined/undefined_default/index.html?videoId=k6ZebVJR1yLCPGAsmxK', 'bcUpdatedAt': '2024-04-15T15:11:05.246Z'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/dailymotion/instances/clv121tuz001a3b7i743pcid2@published'}], 'slug': 'pelicans-land-in-play-in-for-3rd-year-heres-how-it-works', 'tags': ['Basketball', 'NBA', 'New Orleans Pelicans'], 'feeds': {'msn': True, 'rss': True, 'postup': True, 'facebook': True, 'newsfeed': True, 'sitemaps': True, 'frequency': True, 'smartNews': True, 'apple-news': False, 'smart-news': True, 'most-popular': True, 'reversechron': True, 'google-news-feed': True}, 'hosts': [], 'adTags': {'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/ad-tags/instances/clv120eop000t01pt4pdv2byb@published'}, 'byline': [{'hosts': [], 'names': [{'name': 'Jeff Nowak', 'slug': 'jeff-nowak', 'text': 'Jeff Nowak'}], 'prefix': 'by', 'sources': [{'text': 'WWL Radio Sports'}]}], 'teaser': 'Pelicans land in NBA play-in tournament for 3rd-straight year, here’s how it works', 'authors': ['Jeff Nowak'], 'content': [{'data': {'text': 'The NBA play-in tournament guarantees a handful of exciting games prior to the start of the official playoff bracket, and this year that included a group of teams vying to stay out of it.', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clv120eop000x01pty0hwg12f@published'}, {'data': {'text': 'The New Orleans Pelicans were unable to do that, getting beaten down in their regular season finale by the Lakers, while the Phoenix Suns throttled the Timberwolves to secure the No. 6 and final non-play-in seed. That means that for the third consecutive season the Pelicans have some work left to do to land in the postseason, though they do possess the easiest path to do so.', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clv123sg200273b7ip7t16ya3@published'}, {'data': {'clipSrc': 'https://omny.fm/shows/sportstalk-with-bobby-hebert/the-pelicans-are-finally-getting-a-healthy-committ', 'clipURL': 'https://omny.fm/shows/sportstalk-with-bobby-hebert/the-pelicans-are-finally-getting-a-healthy-committ', 'embedSize': 'wide-simple', 'componentVariation': 'omny'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/omny/instances/clv139w5g00543b7ip5bsgabl@published'}, {'data': {'text': "Here's the final regular season standings prior to the play-in action:<br />- 1. Thunder, 57-25<br />- 2. Nuggets, 57-25<br />- 3. Timberwolves, 56-24<br />- 4. Clippers, 51-31<br />- 5. Mavericks, 50-32<br />- 6. Suns, 49-33<br />--<br />7. 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Here's a breakdown of the format:", '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clv125ss1002f3b7ibyvn0a18@published'}, {'data': {'text': '- 7 hosts 8 ... winner advances to postseason as 7 seed (vs Nuggets)<br />- 9 hosts 10 ... loser eliminated', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clv126h4r002n3b7iv5wgred8@published'}, {'data': {'text': '7/8 loser hosts 9/10 winner ... winner advances to postseason as 8 seed (vs Thunder); loser eliminated', '_version': 2, 'componentVariation': 'paragraph'}, 'original_ref': 'www.audacy.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clv127lrs002v3b7i6byfppva@published'}, {'data': {'text': "Simple enough, right? 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Pelicans land in NBA play-in tournament for 3rd-straight year, here's how it works

By Jeff NowakApr 15, 2024

Jeff Nowak

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The NBA play-in tournament guarantees a handful of exciting games prior to the start of the official playoff bracket, and this year that included a group of teams vying to stay out of it.

The New Orleans Pelicans were unable to do that, getting beaten down in their regular season finale by the Lakers, while the Phoenix Suns throttled the Timberwolves to secure the No. 6 and final non-play-in seed. That means that for the third consecutive season the Pelicans have some work left to do to land in the postseason, though they do possess the easiest path to do so.

Here's the final regular season standings prior to the play-in action:
- 1. Thunder, 57-25
- 2. Nuggets, 57-25
- 3. Timberwolves, 56-24
- 4. Clippers, 51-31
- 5. Mavericks, 50-32
- 6. Suns, 49-33
--
7. Pelicans, 49-33
8. Lakers, 47-35
9. Kings, 46-36
10. Warriors, 46-36

The 7-10 seeds will enter the play-in tournament. We've seen this play out each of the past two seasons for the Pelicans, but this is the first time New Orleans has landed at No. 7. Here's a breakdown of the format:

- 7 hosts 8 ... winner advances to postseason as 7 seed (vs Nuggets)
- 9 hosts 10 ... loser eliminated

7/8 loser hosts 9/10 winner ... winner advances to postseason as 8 seed (vs Thunder); loser eliminated

Simple enough, right? Here's how it plays out with the teams involved.

- Lakers at Pelicans (Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.)
- Warriors at Kings (Tuesday, 9 p.m.)

- Kings/Warriors winner at Pelicans/Lakers loser (Friday)

New Orleans arrived at the regular season finale with a chance to clinch the 6 seed with a win. Instead they got steamrolled by LeBron James and the Lakers in a game the Pelicans trailed by 30-plus in the second half. That means the Suns get to sit and wait by virtue of a tiebreaker.

Getting mired in play-in drama is certainly a disappointment for the Pelicans, but it does still represent a step forward. The past two seasons have seen the Pelicans land the No. 9 seed with win totals of 36 and 42. In the 2021-'22 season the Pelicans won their way through to the full bracket with a home win over the Spurs then a road victory over the Clippers. A year ago the Pelicans fell at home to the Thunder to be eliminated quickly. In both instances star forward Zion Williamson was absent due to injury.

The Pelicans' 49 wins were the franchise's most since the 2008-'09 season, a year they also landed the No. 7 seed and fell 4-1 to the Nuggets in the opening round. If the Pelicans had finished with 49 wins a year ago, they'd have landed the No. 3 seed. In some ways the play-in result is simply bad luck.

But there are positives. This year Zion is healthy, and Brandon Ingram made his return in the finale after missing 12 games due to injury. They'll have at least two more home games, though that hasn't been the best thing. The Pelicans own the best road record in the NBA this season (28-14), but they're 21-19 at home. If they can win on the first try at home they'll land another first-round matchup with the Nuggets. If they win win and they'd earn another showdown with the Nuggets. If they get it done in two games, it'll be the Thunder.

Either way, the Pelicans need to make sure we aren't talking about the end of the season this time next week.

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