New Orleans Pelicans: Grades for 120-116 win over the Toronto Raptors
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Raptors: Player Grades for the small forwards
Small Forwards
A. . Small Forward. New Orleans Pelicans. BRANDON INGRAM
Brandon Ingram is playing like a first-team All-NBA player it’s that simple.
He poured in another 31 points last night and was able to seal the game at the free-throw line. He also added another six rebounds and four assists, as Ingram continues to improve right before our eyes.
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Toronto clearly made stopping Zion Williamson their game plan, and Ingram was happy to oblige, taking over the offense and going 4-of-8 from 3-point range in the process.
He was also aggressive getting to the rim, racking up 14 free throws overall, which is something you love to see. The Pels were able to get the Raptors in foul trouble and salt the game away at the line, something we are going to see a lot of this season.
The only problem I have with Ingram’s role in the offense is that he is often asked to carry them with isolation plays which don’t always lead to good shots.
Ingram is so good that he makes a lot of them anyway, but I would like to see the Pels not have these 3-4 minute stretches where they don’t move the ball in favor of Ingram isolations.
The Pels are at their best when the ball is moving and have to resist the temptation to lean too heavily on Ingram’s one-on-one offense.