ESPN, Marvel join forces for 'Avengers'-themed Warriors-Pelicans game

Captain America and Co. will scout a late-season NBA game between a pair of teams currently sitting below .500 in the standings in search of the world's next great superhero - and corporate synergy.

ESPN's broadcast of the May 3 tilt between Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans will feature crossover elements with fellow Walt Disney Company brand Marvel, according to Variety's Brian Steinberg.

The production will include animation, graphics, and guest commentary and feature a side plot where "Avengers" characters - such as Iron Man, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel - evaluate the franchises' star players for backup in their fight against aliens.

Three players per side - Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins for the Warriors, and Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and Lonzo Ball for the Pelicans - will be central to the plot. Positive on-court contributions will earn the players "Marvel Hero Points," and the top performer on the winning team will be named the "Champion."

And if the fate of the world doesn't make the stakes big enough, both teams are also jockeying for position in the Western Conference playoff race.

The 29-30 (.492) Warriors are currently 10th in the West's crowded postseason picture, which translates to the final berth in this year's play-in tournament format. The 11th-seeded Pelicans trail by three games at 26-33 (.441).