New Orleans Pelicans Player Grades in Win Over Golden State
Centers
New Orleans Pelicans. DERRICK FAVORS. B. . Center
Derrick Favors continues to be the New Orleans Pelicans’ dedicated rim protector and rebounder. He’s playing limited minutes, usually due to foul trouble, but Favors gives the Pelicans something they don’t otherwise have: a grown man to protect the paint. Favors ended the night with just six points but added 11 rebounds and a blocked shot. Favors is not asked to do much but rebound and stop the other team from getting dunks, and the Pelicans are a much more dynamic offensive team when he is on the bench, but Favors presence matters and gives New Orleans some kind of defensive identity.
Good teams take care of business even when they have off nights, which is exactly what happened for the New Orleans Pelicans against Golden State. Last night’s game had all of the markers of a “trap game” as the young Pelicans were coming off a big win against Portland and possibly looking past the Warriors to their next game against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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It wasn’t a thing of beauty, but the Pelicans got the job done. They are now just 3.5 games behind Memphis and have staked their claim as the most exciting young team in the league. The New Orleans Pelicans hope to continue their surge Tuesday night against the Lakers in Staples Center in what will likely be the most hyped game of the year.