NEW ORLEANS — There’s quite a bit of crossover between the Saints and the Pelicans. They have the same owner, their facilities are next door to each other, and home games are played across the street from one another.
This is only the second time the Pelicans and the Saints have made playoffs in the same calendar year (last time they did the Pelicans were the Hornets) but the teams have showed constant support for one another, attending each other’s games and practices.
Rajon Rondo went to Saints camp a few times and impressed Coach Payton with his arm, while Coach Payton impressed Rondo with his dance moves.
“He needs to work on those,” laughed Rondo in January 2018, when the Saints clinched playoffs and Sean Payton’s hit dance move broke the internet.
But to be fair, Payton notes, “he only got a small taste.”
“Somewhere down the line, maybe at a Christmas party, he’ll get the full sense of my game,” Payton said with a laugh.
Payton found himself on the hardwood during recent home games, showing his support for the team in their playoff run.
“It’s amazing to see the athleticism, they are so tall and move so well. Alvin Gentry has done a great job. At this point it is just managing the schedule but he and his staff are doing a great job.”
The Pelicans play Golden State Tuesday night at 9:30 PM central time, in Oakland.