When the second half of the NBA regular season begins Thursday, the New Orleans Pelicans (23-32) will be 5 1/2 games behind eighth-place Memphis (28-26) in the Western Conference standings. By the time they take the court Friday at Moda Center to face Portland, the Pelicans could be six games back, with only 27 games remaining on their regular season schedule. Although that would seemingly be an exceptionally difficult deficit to overcome, New Orleans has already made a habit out of turning bleak situations into something better in 2019-20. The Pelicans started the season 1-7, but eventually fought their way back into playoff contention. They endured a 13-game losing streak in November/December, but have gone 17-10 since. They used 19 different starting lineups prior to Zion Williamson’s Jan. 22 debut, but have recently settled into the five-man unit they expected to field back in training camp.

Based on the standings, you may think New Orleans’ odds to reach the postseason are considered miniscule by objective observers, but based on the mathematical formulas used by prominent websites, it’s actually quite a bit more realistic than that. ESPN’s BPI formula gives the Pelicans a 16.9 percent of earning the No. 8 seed (the top seven West teams are already considered locks), while Basketball Reference’s model is even more optimistic, at 18.6 percent. One major factor behind those projections is that New Orleans has the NBA’s easiest remaining schedule, while Memphis is facing the most difficult. Of the Pelicans’ final 27 games, only nine opponents are currently over .500, including just one of the final 10 matchups. Meanwhile, among the Grizzlies’ remaining 28 games, 16 opponents sport winning records, as well as two head-to-head meetings with New Orleans. While the Pelicans close the slate with only one plus-.500 foe in the last 10 games (Philadelphia), during that same span, the Grizzlies match up with eight such opponents (Boston, Toronto twice, Dallas, Denver, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Houston).

Add it up, and ESPN.com’s mathematical projection has Memphis going 38-44, finishing just one game ahead of 37-45 New Orleans (the site actually has Portland winding up with the No. 8 spot at 39-43). Incidentally, if the Pelicans merely beat all of the teams on their schedule with losing records, but lose every game vs. the opponents with winning marks, they will surpass that prediction and go 41-41.

Here’s a closer look at what’s ahead for the teams in front of New Orleans in the race for No. 8:

8, MEMPHIS (28-26)

Remaining schedule overview: 12 home games, 16 road games; 16 games vs. opponents with winning records, 12 games vs. opponents with losing records

Remaining key games vs. other West playoff hopefuls: March 12 at Portland, March 16 at San Antonio, March 21 vs. New Orleans, March 24 at New Orleans, April 5 at Portland

Toughest remaining five-game stretch: From Feb. 21-29, the Grizzlies face the Lakers twice, while also visiting the Clippers and Houston

Opponents with two games remaining: Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Lakers, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Portland, Sacramento, Toronto

Tiebreaker status vs. Pelicans: New Orleans leads season series 2-0, with two March matchups remaining

9, PORTLAND (25-31)

Remaining schedule overview: 15 home games, 11 road games; 11 games vs. opponents with winning records, 15 games vs. opponents with losing records

Remaining key games vs. other West playoff hopefuls: Friday vs. New Orleans, March 12 vs. Memphis, April 5 vs. Memphis

Toughest remaining five-game stretch: From March 27-April 5, the Trail Blazers face four opponents with winning records and wrap up a six-game road trip with stops in Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn

Opponents with two games remaining: Boston, Detroit, Memphis, Minnesota, Phoenix

Tiebreaker status vs. Pelicans: New Orleans has clinched the season series by virtue of a 3-0 lead, with one matchup Friday

10, SAN ANTONIO (23-31)

Remaining schedule overview: 15 home games, 13 road games; 14 games vs. opponents with winning records, 14 games vs. opponents with losing records

Remaining key games vs. other West playoff hopefuls: March 16 vs. Memphis, March 18 at New Orleans, April 5 vs. New Orleans, April 15 vs. New Orleans

Toughest remaining five-game stretch: Coming out of the All-Star break, San Antonio visits Utah and Oklahoma City, then hosts Dallas, Orlando and Indiana during a three-game homestand

Opponents with two games remaining: Dallas, Denver, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, Minnesota, New Orleans (three times), Sacramento, Utah (three times)

Tiebreaker status vs. Pelicans: San Antonio leads season series 1-0 by prevailing Jan. 22 in Williamson’s NBA debut, but there are three meetings left. FYI, the second tiebreaker would be division record (Spurs are 3-5 vs. the Southwest; Pelicans are 3-7)

11, NEW ORLEANS (23-32)

Remaining schedule overview: 13 home games, 14 road games; 9 games vs. opponents with winning records, 18 games vs. opponents with losing records

Remaining key games vs. other West playoff hopefuls: Feb. 21 at Portland, March 18 vs. San Antonio, March 21 at Memphis, March 24 vs. Memphis, April 5 at San Antonio, April 15 at San Antonio

Toughest remaining five-game stretch: New Orleans does not have any five-game stretch that features more than three opponents with a winning record, but from March 13-21, the Pelicans visit Utah, the Clippers and Memphis

Opponents with two games remaining: Atlanta, Lakers, Memphis, Minnesota, Sacramento, San Antonio (three times), Washington

Tiebreaker status vs. other West playoff hopefuls: Leads Memphis 2-0 in season series, clinched season series vs. Portland, trails season series vs. San Antonio 0-1