Here’s when the Pelicans-Suns playoff series will tip off

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - After eliminating the San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers from playoff contention over the past three days, the New Orleans Pelicans’ reward is an immediate trip to Phoenix to take on the championship-favorite Suns on Sunday.

The 8 p.m. game is the opener of a best-of-seven series in the first round of the NBA’s Western Conference playoffs. It marks the Pelicans’ first postseason appearance since 2018.

Emerging from the play-in tournament as the No. 8 seed for the playoffs presents Coach Willie Green’s team with another enormous challenge. The top-seeded Suns finished with the best regular-season record in the league (64-18). No other NBA team won more than 56 games this season.

The Suns proved equally adept playing in Arizona or away, posting identical 32-9 records in both their home and road jerseys. So it’s no surprise that oddsmakers with Caesars Sportsbook have installed the Suns as the prohibitive 2.4-to-1 favorites to win the NBA championship.

The Pelicans are tied with the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks with the longest odds to win the championship, at 100-1.

Here is the schedule for the Pelicans-Suns first-round series (all times Central Time):

Game 1 -- New Orleans at Phoenix, Sunday, 8 p.m., TNT

Game 2 -- New Orleans at Phoenix, Tuesday, 9 p.m., TNT

Game 3 -- Phoenix at New Orleans, Friday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

Game 4 -- Phoenix at New Orleans, Sunday (April 24), 8:30 p.m., TNT

Game 5* -- New Orleans at Phoenix, Tuesday (April 26), TBD, TBD

Game 6* -- Phoenix at New Orleans, Thursday (April 28), TBD, TBD

Game 7* -- New Orleans at Phoenix, Saturday (April 30), TBD, TNT

* -- If necessary

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