The New Orleans Pelicans travel to The Big Apple to play the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Friday.

The Pelicans (10-8) record is nothing to be impressed by, although their numbers indicate that they should be better. In fact, New Orleans currently sits second in both assists and scoring while ranking fifth in rebounding. They also sit third in offensive efficiency, as this has become one of the scariest teams in the league. The Pelicans appear to be hitting their stride in terms of wins and losses too, as they've won six of their last eight games headed into this fixture. Anthony Davis will play with some fury after a tough game on Wednesday, as he missed a game-tying free-throw in the final seconds in a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Davis actually struggled mightily from the field but he became the first player in three years to record a five-by-five line in that defeat. Recording a five-by-five line in a down game shows just how dominant of a player Davis is, as he's averaging 26.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 2.9 blocks per game this season.

The Knicks (5-14) come into this matchup losing six of their last seven games despite the fact that they've been playing better recently. In fact, New York picked up a rare road win in their most recent game, as they upset the Boston Celtics, 117-109, on Wednesday. Noah Vonleh has really stepped up in the last two games, as he's recorded back-to-back monster double-doubles. Trey Burke has been just as good, as he's averaging 25.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists off of the bench across the last four games. That's the player many expected to see when he came out of Michigan a few years ago and Knicks fans are just hopeful that he'll continue this stellar play. Finding a point guard is this franchise's goal, as they haven't had anyone special at that position in over a decade.

While New Orleans has won five of their last six games over New York, the last three fixtures have been decided by five points or fewer.