The New Orleans Pelicans secured a 105-98 victory against the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament, making them the first NBA team to go 6-0 against an opponent in a single season since the Denver Nuggets accomplished the same feat against the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1994-95.
With this win, the Pelicans extended a streak of No. 7 seeds never missing the playoffs since the play-in tournament was introduced in 2020. Despite their 110-106 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier in the week, New Orleans will be entering the playoffs as an eighth seed.
According to various NBA betting sites, the Pelicans have the ninth-best odds to win the championship. The Phoenix Suns and Lakers are currently favored over them in the sportsbooks.
Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans in scoring with 24 points, while Jonas Valanciunas added 19 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. Trey Murphy III also made significant contributions in place of the injured Zion Williamson.
The Pelicans avoided missing the playoffs by defeating the Kings and will now face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
