NEW ORLEANS - The New Orleans Pelicans announced today their schedule for the 2013-14 regular season. The Pelicans will open the season at home on Wednesday, Oct. 30 against the Indiana Pacers before traveling for their first away contest on Friday, Nov. 1, when they take on the Orlando Magic.
"It is with great excitement that we announce the New Orleans Pelicans' regular season schedule," said Owner/Chairman of the Board Tom Benson. "Our organization and our fans are anticipating an exhilarating season as we continue to build a championship-caliber team on and off the court."
The Pelicans play eight of their first 14 contests of the season at home, including showdowns against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, Nov. 8, and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Nov. 26. New Orleans will host the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat on Saturday, Mar. 22, along with the defending Western Conference Champion San Antonio Spurs on Monday, Jan. 13 and Monday, Feb. 3.
New Orleans is scheduled to appear on national television six times this season. ESPN will broadcast the Pelicans' home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, Feb. 7, as well as consecutive road games versus the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Feb. 26, and the Phoenix Suns on Friday, Feb. 28. The Pelicans will be featured on NBA TV both times they travel to play the Sacramento Kings (Dec. 23 and Mar. 3), along with another road contest against the Memphis Grizzlies on Martin Luther King Day (Jan. 20) at 4:00 p.m.
The Pelicans will play 18 of their 41 home games on Friday (10), Saturday (5), or Sunday (3).
All home games will tip off at 7:00 p.m., with the exception of Sunday home games beginning at 5:00 p.m. (Jan. 26 vs. Orlando, Mar. 9 vs. Denver, Mar. 16 vs. Boston) and the matchup on Friday, Feb. 7 against Minnesota tipping off at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN.
New Orleans will hit the road for two separate five-game road trips taking place Dec. 15 - 23 and Feb. 26 - Mar. 4. The Pelicans' longest homestand takes place Mar. 7 - 19, featuring six contests (with games against Milwaukee, Denver, Memphis, Portland, Boston and Toronto).
The Pelicans will play Southwest Division rivals (Dallas, Houston, Memphis and San Antonio) four times each (twice at home/twice on the road). The same holds true for Pacific and Northwest Division foes, with the exception of the Los Angeles Lakers (one home game on Nov. 8), the Golden State Warriors (one away game on Dec. 17), the Minnesota Timberwolves (one home game on Feb. 7) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (one away game on Apr. 11). New Orleans will also play each team in the Eastern Conference once at home and once on the road.