New Orleans Pelicans fend off the feisty Los Angeles Lakers 96-80

After a loss to the New York Knicks, the question became how the New Orleans Pelicans would respond to such adversity.

They responded with a solid home win.

In the return of superstar Anthony Davis, the Pelicans fought off the feisty Los Angeles Lakers team to pull out the victory 96-80. Davis had a monster stat-line in his return to the floor after missing three games with a toe injury. He put up 29 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals.

Jordan Hill controlled the paint throughout the game for Los Angeles with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

Other Observations:

• The Jrue Holiday news definitely put a damper on the day. It was announced today that Jrue would miss at least two weeks with a stress reaction in his right lower leg. This is similar to the injury last year that kept Jrue out for an extended period of time.
• With Jrue’s injury, many expected to see a mix of Nate Wolters and Jimmer Fredette in the backcourt. However, Monty made the decision to go with Nate tonight. It might be to test him out, as a decision on if the Pelicans should give Wolters another 10-day deal is approaching. It might be something to look into for the future. It may not.
• The turnovers are turning into a disturbing trend. Over the past three games, the Pelicans have at least 15 turnovers in each contest. From a team that had been one of the best in the NBA in taking good care of the ball, the trend is not a bright sign for the Pelicans going forward.
• The Pelicans continue to have a surprisingly strong record against the gauntlet of the Western Conference this season. The Pelicans are 15-11 in 26 games against the Western Conference this season. Even with their Eastern Conference woes, if they can continue to beat the teams in their own conference, the playoffs are still a reachable goal.
• New Orleans will look to get their second win in a row against the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Friday Night. Tip is schedule for 7:00 PM CST

To close, tonight symbolized one simple thought every Pelicans fan had. It was great to see AD back on the floor.