Halo

Led by 21-year-old superstar Anthony Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans weathered a tough December and walked the .500 tightrope, closing the month at 8-7 with two games left.

New Orleans, now 15-15, will play 15 games in January, including seven on the road. Nine of those contests are against teams that will enter the month below .500, though the Pels are also going to see five of the top seven seeds in the West and two of the East’s best three.

January’s games won’t be as difficult as December’s, but the fact that the team will hit the hardwood on an average of once every two nights could wear down the ‘Cans.

“Right now it's all about maturity and growing up as a team and realizing this is a moment, this is where we have to start growing up and learning how to win games,” Davis said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN), after racking up 30 points, 14 boards and five swats in a 99-90 victory over the 21-8 Houston Rockets on Dec. 18.

Davis is right on—the time is now. Earning a playoff berth won’t be smooth sailing, but it’s definitely an attainable goal for the Pelicans.

Here’s a relevant excerpt from my December preview on what lies ahead in the New Year:

New Orleans will get the Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers (twice), Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Knicks and Lakers—which, barring a meltdown, should result in seven easy wins.

New Orleans doesn’t see the Spurs in January, but the team will get the Rockets, Wizards, Toronto Raptors, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, Mavericks, Nuggets and Clippers. If the ‘Cans can win half of those contests, they will be at 11-4 on the month.

New Orleans managed to keep its footing in December, which was admirable. In January, though, it’s time to go from a walk to a sprint and really string some wins together.

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