The big picture

New Orleans Pelicans come in 24th on the ladder; Cleveland Cavaliers are 16th. Cleveland Cavaliers are the side higher up the table.

New Orleans Pelicans are 4–5 in NBA 2026-27, averaging 120.2 points for and 118.8 against.

Cleveland Cavaliers are 5–4 in NBA 2026-27, averaging 119.2 points for and 114.7 against.

Form

New Orleans Pelicans have won four of their last five and most recently lost to Minnesota Timberwolves 109–115.

Cleveland Cavaliers have won two of their last five and most recently beat Philadelphia 76ers 119–95.

Head to head

These sides have met 26 times on our records since 2013: New Orleans Pelicans 14, Cleveland Cavaliers 12.

Last time out (2025-26), Cleveland Cavaliers won 111–106 at Smoothie King Center.

Cleveland Cavaliers have won the last five against New Orleans Pelicans.

Biggest margin between these two: New Orleans Pelicans by 35 points in 2018-19 (133–98).

Players to watch

For New Orleans Pelicans, watch Zion Williamson (20.6 points a game, 49 rebounds in 2026-27) and Saddiq Bey (16.4 points a game, 36 rebounds in 2026-27).

For Cleveland Cavaliers, watch Donovan Mitchell (22.6 points a game, 47 rebounds in 2026-27) and Evan Mobley (19.1 points a game, 72 rebounds in 2026-27).

At Smoothie King Center

New Orleans Pelicans have won 12 of their last 20 at Smoothie King Center.

The deeper numbers

New Orleans Pelicans haven't beaten Cleveland Cavaliers at Smoothie King Center since 2021-22: 4 meetings there since then.

What the numbers say

On the numbers this is too close to split.