Pelicans defying playoff odds, while Heat look to advance
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
The New Orleans Pelicans are defying the odds. The Pelicans are the first NBA team in 46 years to finish a season 10 or more games under .500, then go on to win at least two playoff games. The last team to pull off such a feat was the Detroit Pistons in the 1976 playoffs. The Pelicans went 36-46 and finished 28 games behind the top-seeded Phoenix Suns in the standings this season. Now, their first-round playoff series against the Suns is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5. That’s one of three games on Tuesday’s schedule. Top-seeded Miami looks to close out eighth-seeded Atlanta in their series, and second-seeded Memphis plays host to seventh-seeded Minnesota in that knotted-up matchup.