As we near the tipoff of another New Orleans Pelicans season, it’s worth wondering how the team has fared versus preseason expectations of late.
Since the start of the 2010-11 NBA season, the Pelicans have only cleared their preseason win total on three occasions, doing so in 2010-11 (41.5/46-36), 2014-15 (43/45-37) and 2017-18 (39.5/48-34).
New Orleans hasn’t come within 3.5 wins of their preseason total since going 34-48 after Louisiana sportsbooks pegged its yearlong total at 36.5 in 2016-17. LouisianaBets.com utilized historical data from SportsOddsHistory.com to see how the Pelicans have done against their preseason win total dating back to 2010-11.
Pelicans Season Win Total History
Louisiana betting apps list Boston and Milwaukee with the best NBA championship odds at +400, followed by defending champion Denver at +550. New Orleans is +5000 to win the NBA title.
Pelicans Struggle Against Expectations
Currently, the Pelicans’ 2023-24 win total sits at 44.5 at BetMGM Louisiana, as they prepare for their regular season opener against Memphis on Oct. 25. Since the 2010-11 season, New Orleans has struggled to clear its preseason win total more often than not, which is largely due to the franchise’s inability to finish above .500.
The Pelicans’ 44.5 win total for the year ahead represents the fourth-highest preseason total for the team during that stretch, behind the 2022-23 and 2018-19 teams, which came into the year at 45.5, while the 2015-16 team had a preseason total of 45.
The Pelicans start the season with the third-best Southwest Division odds at +240, ranking behind the Grizzlies (+150) and Dallas (+175) and ahead of Houston (+3000) and San Antonio (+5000). The Hornets’ last divisional title came in 2007-08, when Byron Scott led New Orleans to a 56-26 record in his fourth year with the club. The Pelicans reached the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since moving to New Orleans from Charlotte in 2002.
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