New Orleans Pelicans: Grades for nerve-racking win over the Kings
Pelicans vs. Kings: Player Grades for the power forward and centers
Power Forwards and Centers
A. . Power Forward. New Orleans Pelicans. ZION WILLIAMSON
Zion Williamson was nearly perfect against the Kings, finishing the night with 31 points on 13-of-15 shooting and making all five of his free throws.
The Pelicans have been using Zion in different ways, allowing him to bring the ball up with the second unit and initiate the offense from the perimeter.
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When Zion gets going downhill there are few players in the league who can stop him, ask Marvin Bagley, who got put on about five different Zion posters last night.
SVG deserves some credit for making the game easier for Zion and getting him the ball in a variety of spots, not just in the post.
A. . Center. New Orleans Pelicans. STEVEN ADAMS
Steven Adams had 12 points and 15 boards against the Kings, and it was his late free-throw shooting that iced the game.
Usually the Pels wouldn’t want the Kiwi shooting free throws to try and win the game, but he stepped up and knocked them down.
Adams added four assists and has been passing the ball well as of late. He continues to be one of the best additions of the offseason for any team in the NBA.
B. . Center. New Orleans Pelicans. JAXSON HAYES
Jaxson Hayes has been playing well lately and seems to have figured out his role, which is to get after it on the boards and try to block some shots.
Hayes had 11 points and six rebounds in only 16 minutes and knocked down all three of his free throws. Like all the Pelicans, there were times that Hayes got trucked on defense but overall he played hard and we will hopefully never see Nicolo Melli again.