Today's Best NBA Reporting and Analysis

- Pelicans' efforts to strengthen a weak bench may pay dividends (from Jimmy Smith, nola.com):

" Before there was a blemish on the record, when everyone in the NBA was 0-0 way back at October's end, New Orleans Pelicans coach Monty Williams said he wouldn't attempt to gauge the promise of his team.

It would take 20 games, Williams said, to make an accurat…