The New Orleans Pelicans were able to get a comeback win over the Clippers last night that will hopefully put a jolt in their season.
The game started with the Pelicans getting blown out early, as they went down 20 and many fans probably turned off the game in disgust.
It was disappointing to see them come out this way in the first half, as they had blown a big lead in the game before and were called out by veteran Josh Hart in the aftermath.
The Pels were down 12 at the half, and given how they have played in second halves this season, the game appeared to be another sure loss.
But the Pelicans were able to reverse their second half trend for once behind some lockdown defense by Herb Jones and the red-hot shooting of Jonas Valanciunas, who is now leading the NBA in 3-point percentage.
The New Orleans Pelicans and 3rd quarters
The Pels have been one of the worst second half teams in the NBA this season, particularly in the 3rd quarter, when they are just 28th in the NBA in points and have a -4.5 margin, which is also near the bottom of the league.
They reversed that trend last night, outscoring the Clippers 29-14 in the 3rd quarter, turning a 12-point halftime deficit into a lead heading into the 4th.
The Pelicans sealed the game by shutting the Clippers down in the 4th, only allowing them 12 points total highlighted by some great one-on-one defense from Herb Jones on Paul George.
Jonas Valanciunas hit five three pointers and the Pelicans finally got a big game from Kira Lewis Jr. off the bench, who had 16 points and hit some big shots down the stretch to help win the game.
The Pelicans are still only 3-14 but any win is a positive sign right now, and if the Pels can string a few together they will still be alive when Zion Williamson returns to action.
I have been trying to stay positive about this season, as it is too early to give up, and the second half of last night’s game helped, as it was looking grim for the Pelicans early on.
Lets hope they can build some momentum from that second half performance and get another win over the Pacers tonight on the road.