New Orleans Pelicans: Player Grades in 118-109 Loss to the Lakers
Centers
. Center. New Orleans Pelicans. DERRICK FAVORS. C+
Favors continues to be the anchor of the New Orleans Pelicans’ defense and had a couple of really nice stretches against the Lakers, including this defensive stand that changed the momentum of the game.
The block from D-Fav and a little bit of pure chaos leads to the SLAM from Zion 💪 pic.twitter.com/afhoCcSflC
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 26, 2020
The Lakers are one of the biggest teams in the NBA, so this was a night where the Pelicans really needed Favors’ toughness and defense in the paint. Favors impacted the game when he was in, going 4 of 5 for eight points and adding three rebounds a block and a steal, but once again he found himself on the bench with foul trouble, which necessitated a rare Jahlil Okafor appearance. Favors has to stop picking up random and useless fouls in games where the Pelicans need his size and rebounding. His veteran presence was big for the young New Orleans Pelicans, but it doesn’t matter much if he’s not in the game.
Next. The Pelicans Won the Anthony Davis Trade. dark
Luckily the Pelicans won’t have to wait long to get another shot at the Lakers. The two teams play again on Sunday, this time at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. The Pelicans’ crowd will be ready, and so will their young team, who showed that they are not quite to the top of the mountain yet, but are ready for the climb.