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The New Orleans Pelicans kept their hold of the sixth and final guaranteed playoff spot in the Western Conference following their dig-deep, 114-109 road victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday.
The trio of CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III took the lead for the Pelicans, who faced a ferocious comeback from the Warriors late in the contest, but hung on for the all-important win.
McCollum top-scored for New Orleans in the victory, finishing with 28 points, with Williamson adding 26 and Murphy adding 24 points of his own. The win improved the team to 49-32, still a full game ahead of the seventh-running Phoenix Suns (48-33) for the last guaranteed playoff spot in the West.
Here's a closer look at where the Pelicans are in the tightly packed West playoff race with one game left in the regular season.
New Orleans Pelicans Playoffs Scenario: Standings
At the position they are in, the Pelicans just need to win their last game in the regular season on Sunday. They cannot afford to finish in a tie with the Suns because the latter holds the tiebreaker against them, having won their season series, 2-1.
Interestingly, New Orleans could have earned a free pass to the playoff proper had Phoenix lost its game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday. But the Suns managed to narrowly win, 108-107 and keep their bid for the sixth seed alive.
New Orleans Pelicans Playoffs Scenario: Schedule
In trying to secure the sixth seed on the final game day of the regular season, the Pelicans are up against a no-easy opponent in the LA Lakers, who are also gunning for a victory to fortify their hold of the eighth spot in the Play-In Tournament.
The Purple and Gold currently hold eighth place in the West by themselves with a 46-35 record following their victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. They, however, are still in danger of dropping to the ninth place if they end up tied with the Kings at the end of the regular season.
A good thing for the Pelicans, it is not only them who are facing a tough challenge in their final game as the Suns also go up against a formidable foe in the Minnesota Timberwolves (56-25), who are currently in a three-way tie at the top of the Western Conference along the OKC Thunder and Denver Nuggets. Minnesota has a chance to end as No. 1 with a win.
New Orleans Pelicans Playoffs Scenario: A return to the postseason
In the event the New Orleans Pelicans secure the sixth seed and the automatic playoff spot, it will mark a return to the postseason after missing the cut last season.
They reached the Play-In Tournament last year as the No. 9 team but were upended by the No. 10 OKC Thunder, 123-118 to bow out of the competition.
Guess the Lakers players!
