New Orleans Pelicans: Grades for overtime loss vs. Knicks
New Orleans Pelicans vs. Knicks: Grades for the bigs
Big. New Orleans Pelicans. STEVEN ADAMS. B+.
Steven Adams had another good game.
The New Zealand center was the Pels’ primary scorer during the opening moments of the game. Adams got off to a quick start and ended with 10 points, eight of those in the first quarter.
Adams dominated around the basket. I thought he protected the rim solidly and he devoured rebounds. The Kiwi big is so good at crashing the boards that watching him do just that is pretty fun. Adams finished with 14 rebounds and eight of them were offensive boards.
Big. New Orleans Pelicans. JAXSON HAYES. B.
Jaxson Hayes played well during his 17 minutes on the floor.
The second-year big leveraged his athleticism effectively. He had a couple of dunks, including a pretty incredible lob finish in transition, four offensive rebounds, and two blocks. Hayes had struggled a bit recently, so it was good to see him play well at Madison Square Garden.
One thing I’m tracking: his free throws. Hayes made both of his foul shots against the Knicks and is up to 76 percent from the line this season. That, plus the trifecta of threes he has made, bodes well for his shooting future.
Next. What is Steven Adams' future in NOLA?. dark