New Orleans Pelicans Awards: Pelicans outlasted by Bulls
The New Orleans Pelicans were looking to build on Friday night’s win. Unfortunately they were unable too, dropping a 98-94 contest to the Chicago Bulls.
The New Orleans Pelicans traveled to Chicago on the second night of a back to back, they would be without two of their main pieces in Jrue Holiday (restrictions hold him out on second nights of back-to-backs) and Ryan Anderson who is battling a virus. After Friday’s win against the Washington Wizards head coach Alvin Gentry stressed postgame about incorporating more ball movement, while the Pelicans players stressed getting the road trip off to a good start.
As has been the case a lot this season the Pelicans looked like the better team for three quarters as they defended a lot better than most games this season and the effort was there all night. However in what is now becoming a trend, the Pelicans could not capitalize and pull away. They let the Bulls hang around within 10 points or so all night then would answer a Bulls run every time Chicago got to close. That was until Aaron Brooks caught fire scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter. Anthony Davis struggled mightily all night shooting 8/24 from the field and settling for jumpers all night. It is fair now to raise the question of “is playing nearly 40 minutes a night taking its toll on the young superstar?”
MVP: Aaron Brooks
Aaron Brooks, a name New Orleanians know far to well, is the guy who took over for the Bulls in the 4th quarter. Jimmy Butler could not get anything going from the field all night so the Bulls turned to their backup point to bring it home and he did just that. Brooks had 14 points in the 4th including a tough go head runner over Dante Cunningham.
LVP: Anthony Davis
Really tough to give this to AD because he still contributed four blocks and 13 boards but quite frankly he has to be better offensively. 22 points on 24 shots from Anthony Davis is not going to get the job done. Couple that with his four turnovers and its clear something is wrong. Davis even missed two foul shots in the fourth quarter which would’ve given the Pels the lead. Maybe it is the minutes taking a toll on him but AD needs to stop settling for jumpers and attack.
X-Factor Joakim Noah
The struggling much maligned Joakim Noah looked like his old self tonight.. He brought a ton of energy and nearly finished with a double double off the bench. His defense was superb tonight, he cut off Pelican drives and frustrated Anthony Davis all night
Turning Point: Aaron Brooks floater over Dante Cunningham
The game was tied up with about 40 seconds and Aaron Brooks had an isolation on Dante Cunningham. Dante played nice defense and contested the shot well but nothing was stopping Brooks tonight. The speedy point guard nailed it high off glass over the outstretched arms of Cunningham. Chicago would not relinquish the lead from there on out
Defining Moment: Tyreke Evans Jab Steps
The Pelicans were down four with very little time left, so how this play turned out probably did not matter ultimately but man was it strange. It looked like it was setup for Anthony Davis to get a three at the top of the key but Davis hesitated and dumped a pass off to Eric Gordon who cannot get a look. Gordon proceeded to pass it to Tyreke Evans and for whatever reason Tyreke does five jab steps (mind you the clock was at about 11 seconds to start) and hoisted a three as time runs out. It was terrible, terrible execution out of a timeout, something that has been a constant all year.
Next: The quarter season roundtable
That was…….. Karma
By all accounts the Pelicans looked better than the Bulls, they held all of there main cogs to inefficient shooting nights and looked like the more aggressive team. Friday night you could not say the same but they squeaked out with a win as what happened to the Wizards happened to them. Aaron Brooks scored 14 fourth quarter points and some of them were bad shots it was just one of those days.