NEW ORLEANS — Just about everywhere you go in town, people are talking about the New Orleans Pelicans.
What a comeback story after last year’s disappointing season.
The team took over first place in the NBA’s Western Conference earlier this week with Wednesday’s win over Detroit.
“It’s definitely been a long road getting here.,” Pelicans Fan Leona Robinson said. “We’re definitely ecstatic about the season. Honestly, they’ve exceeded my expectations. I thought we’d be competing for sure in the West this year. Number one in the West this early. I didn’t see it.”
Robinson is a founding member of the Pels 12, a group of New Orleans basketball super fans.
“The energy is there every night in the Smoothie King Center,” she said. “You kind of feel it. You walk in the building, and it feels electric. Everyone’s anticipating what the guys are going to do on the court.”
The Pels have won 5 straight, 10 out of their last 12.
They have the third best record in the NBA.
“A lot of fans are excited,” Pelican’s fan Tori Mathews said. “The Saints season is not going the way we expected it. But the Pels are doing really, really good. We’re all excited.”
“We’ve always been so down.,” Pelican’s fan Gary Simms said. “Like last year, we started off 1 and 12. Now this season, we’re 16 and 8. That’s phenomenal, a phenomenal rebound right there.”
Anything with Pels logo on it is flying off the shelves at the Black and Gold shop in Metairie.
“It’s just really hard to get merchandise,” Black and Gold Shop owner Pam Randazzo said. “The NBA is a little different, so it hard for the customer to find it to, but we’re selling out of everything I can get my hands on.”
The Pelicans take on the second-place Phoenix Suns in the Smoothie King Center Friday night.
It’s a chance to prove they are the number one team in the west.
“It’s going to be a tough game against the Suns,” Mathews said. “I’m predicting we’re going to we’re going to win by 7.
“If you haven’t been to a game, get to one because it’s definitely the place to be,” Robinson said.
The Pelicans are warning fans the Suns game will be one of the biggest of the season and finding a parking spot will be difficult.
The state high school football championships are also underway across the street in the Caesar’s Superdome.
