The New Orleans Pelicans couldn’t find a way to open the game up early versus the Milwaukee Bucks, but a second-half surge helped propel the Pelicans to their third straight win 116-99.
What was a tightly contested battle early on in the game quickly turned into a one-sided affair after halftime. The Pelicans caught fire shooting from behind the arc, finishing the game 17-31 from long range. With a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter, New Orleans just needed to keep the petal to the metal to hold on. They did just that.
Ryan Anderson stole the show in the shooting department, finishing the game with 23 points and six made three-pointers. The Bucks were lead by the combo of sharpshooter Khris Middleton and big man Greg Monroe. Middleton finished the game with 22 points and four made three-pointers, while Monroe commanded the paint with 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Pelicans had seven players finish the game in double-figures, helping guide New Orleans past a tough and gritty Milwaukee team.
The Pelicans played the game without Dante Cunningham, who was a late addition to the Pelicans injury along with Quincy Pondexter and Eric Gordon.
MVP: Anthony Davis
It was difficult to decided between Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis, who both had really strong games. However, it’s impossible to take the MVP away from Anthony Davis after his performance. AD scored 22 points on 17 shots with seven rebounds, five assists and four blocks. He made life very difficult for Bucks big Giannis Antetokounmpo, who fouled out of the game in just 28 minutes. Davis is one of the best on the planet, and even for someone with the length and athleticism of Antetokounmpo, he’s a near impossible guard alone. The Bucks gave AD troubles early with double-teams, yet the energy and effectiveness of the other Pelicans helped him open up later in the game and gave New Orleans complete control late. This team is going to need his best night in and night out going forward. He gave them just that on this occasion.
LVP: Tyreke Evans
A lot of the Pelicans played really REALLY well tonight, so picking a LVP was tough. That being said, Reke had a really tough night on the floor. He finished the game shooting 3-12 from the field for just 10 points. He did have six assists on the night, yet other than a few highlight passes didn’t really make much a difference on the floor. On defense, Michael Carter-Williams had a strong offensive night for the Bucks, helping them to stick around in the game. He had the worst +/- on the team and turned the ball over more than anyone else. The expectations for him are high, yet he’s still struggling when fans know what he’s capable of.
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X-Factor: The role players
Omer Asik, Alonzo Gee and Toney Douglas were the biggest factor for the Pelicans victory today. In a game where the Pelicans were massacred with injuries, the young guys needed to step up sure did that. Omer Asik did all he could to slow down a monstrous Greg Monroe, who had a field day versus any other Pelican when he was in the game. Alonzo Gee filled his role to perfection, being able to score when left open, a strong six rebounds and brought a good balance to the offense he’s been lacking prior. Then there’s Toney Douglas, who put up 14 points and four three-pointers on the night for a team that desperately needed the offensive support from a key bench player. Combine those three guys’ performances and this kind of game is the result.
Turning Point: The Pelicans catch fire from deep
The game was very close in the first half. It was that moment when the New Orleans Pelicans began to catch fire from behind the three-point line. Norris Cole had two three-pointers in the third quarter and Ryan Anderson followed with two of his own. Four different Pelicans then scored a three-pointer in the first half of the fourth quarter, stretching what was a ten-point lead after three quarters to a 17-point lead halfway through the final frame. It turned the table from a game that looked positive for New Orleans into a complete blowout in the Pelicans favor. The hot shooting all night was contagious as New Orleans finished the game with 17 made three-pointers. Six of those were from Ryan Anderson, while Toney Douglas had four and Norris Cole had three to led the hot-shooting Pelicans to victory.
Defining Moment: The two-and-a-half minute Pelicans onslaught in the fourth
The New Orleans Pelicans held a solid eight point lead with nine minutes to go in the fourth quarter. They extended that lead with a monster run in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans missed one shot in a stretch that included a Jrue Holiday three-pointer, a Toney Douglas three-pointer, a Douglas two-pointer, a Ryan Anderson three-pointer and a Tyreke Evans three-pointer. The 14-points in two and a half minutes helped propel the Pelicans on a huge run that stretched the lead from eight to 17. That put the dagger in any hope of a Bucks comeback for sure.
Next: Recap of the Pelicans win vs the Pistons
That was…….. a statement win.
The New Orleans Pelicans really needed to make a statement with the Western Conference race for the eighth-seed still wide open. This was just that. The team shot the ball well. They fought hard on the defense end when it was necessary. And when they had the chance, they put their foot down on the Bucks and ended the game. That’s huge going forward as they continue their seven-game home stretch on Monday against their division rival in the Houston Rockets. Tip is scheduled for 7:00 PM CST.