New Orleans Pelicans grades: Pelicans beat up on injured Blazers
The New Orleans Pelicans had a chance to take advantage of an injured Portland Trailblazer team. They did just that.
The first few times the New Orleans Pelicans met the Portland Trailblazers this season things went very badly for the Pelicans. In the first contest it was C.J. McCollum who destroyed the Pelicans from the perimeter. In the second it was Damian Lillard who did all the damage. With Lillard out and McCollum playing through two ankle sprains on Wednesday night the Pelicans had a chance to get an easy win.
After a slow first quarter they did just that, using a 27-13 second quarter to pull ahead of the Blazers and stay that way in the second half on their way to a huge win. Anthony Davis finished with 28 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in 36 minutes and Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans both added good games to help New Orleans with the dominating effort.
New Orleans Pelicans. JRUE HOLIDAY. A+. Jrue Holiday continued his great play of late posting 19 points and five assists without a single turnover and just generally controlling the game. The Pelicans are so much more fluid on offense with Holiday on the floor and he even added some halfcourt lobs to Anthony Davis which is always fun.. PG
B. <strong><a href=. SG. New Orleans Pelicans. ERIC GORDON
A. The process was not great but Tyreke Evans finished with 24 points and nine assists on 50 percent shooting. The production earns the rewards. . SF/PG/SG. New Orleans Pelicans. TYREKE EVANS
New Orleans Pelicans. ANTHONY DAVIS. A+. Anthony Davis did Anthony Davis things. That is always good for the Pelicans and is even better when other guys help out. . PF/C
B. <strong><a href=. C. New Orleans Pelicans. OMER ASIK
C. When <strong><a href=. PF/SF. New Orleans Pelicans. RYAN ANDERSON
C. I still cannot figure out why Alvin Gentry keeps using <strong><a href=. PG. New Orleans Pelicans. NORRIS COLE
Other observations:
- The Pelicans needed that. They went out and thrashed an inferior team missing their best player. It doesn’t make the Pelicans a good team but it is something good teams do.
- There were a few halfcourt lobs to Anthony Davis in this one, something we haven’t seen much this year. It was a nice sign and something that seems to be an easy way to get more shots at the rim instead of contested threes.
The Pelicans now head to Miami for their Christmas day matchup with the Heat. That game will tell us a lot about the Pelicans and how much of their recent success is real and how much is catching teams on the right night.