| BY CHRISTIAN CLARK | Staff writer The last time the Pelicans swept the regular-season series against the Lakers was 2017-18. As Pelicans fans know, New Orleans caught fire after DeMarcus Cousins went down with a torn Achilles that season, winning 10 straight and sweeping Portland in the first round of the playoffs. 2017-18 was the Lakers' last season before LeBron James made his move to Los Angeles. Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr. were youngsters on the 2017-18 Lakers. Tonight, Ingram and Nance will try to help the Pelicans drive the final nail in the coffin of a miserable Lakers season. The Pelicans have won the two previous matchups. If they win tonight, they will complete a regular-season sweep for the first time in four years and go three games ahead of the Lakers with five games left. Big, big game. Talk to y'all tonight. It's a 9:30 p.m. tipoff. I'll probably be on my fourth cup of coffee. -- Christian | 