The New Orleans Pelicans might have gotten absolutely obliterated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in their last meeting, 134-93, but that didn't take away their crunch-time win over Minny just two days earlier. In the first leg of their two-part head-to-head, the Pels squeaked by the Wolves, 119-115.
It was the first full game New Orleans was playing since Trey Murphy III went down with a brutal shoulder injury. After an already deflating season that saw the Pelicans become bottom-feeders instead of dark-horse contenders, losing TMIII after his breakout campaign was just devastating.
The team may be chasing lottery odds instead of playoff seeding, but they desperately needed some kind of moral victory to lift the spirits of everyone involved with the franchise. Against Minnesota, they got exactly the morale boost they needed, even if it was followed up by one of the most listless losses of the year. Not only did the Pelicans get their win in dramatic fashion, but it came courtesy of their prized traded deadline acquisitions: Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown Jr.
Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown Jr. come up big in Pelicans win over Timberwolves
The New Orleans Pelicans acquired Kelly Olynyk and Bruce Brown Jr. as the only two players in their return package in the Brandon Ingram trade with the Toronto Raptors. The reception of that deal among the fans was mixed, to say the least. BI had grown a cult following among the Pelicans' faithful and his trade stock had shrunk significantly over the last few years, so many were displeased with the yield they got from Toronto.
On the other hand, Ingram's departure from New Orleans was inevitable and the entire saga was drawn out much longer than it had to be. So while the return was a bit light for a career 20-point scorer just entering his prime, many were glad to simply close the book on a disappointing chapter in the franchise's history.
That said, getting back Kelly Olynyk, Bruce Brown Jr., and future first-round pick isn't anything to scoff at either, especially if New Orleans ends up re-signing Brown Jr. this summer to a team-friendly deal. Olynyk fit right in, becoming the stretch big the Pelicans have long wanted to put next to Zion Williamson as soon as his Visa cleared.
With the Pels, Kelly O has put up 10.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while slashing 53/40/75 in just under 26 minutes per game. Bruce Brown Jr. took a bit longer to acclimate to his new team, as he struggled heavily upon first arrival. But he's turned things around lately. In his last four games, he's averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 53 percent from the field and providing strong, versatile defense.
The two really shined in the win against Minnesota on Wednesday night. Olynyk finished with 13 points, four rebounds, and a block. He also met Anthony Edwards in the paint to get a crucial stop to retain the lead with just 70 seconds left in the game.
Olynyk being able to slide over and provide that weakside rim protection is exactly why the Pelicans have wanted a player of his archetype for so long. He can aptly defend the paint and brings vital size and length while maintaining New Orleans's spacing on offense with his 3-point shooting. There aren't many players who could have gotten that stop against Edwards in that moment and shoot over 40 percent from deep in a season. Kelly O is one of them.
The very next possession for the Pelicans, Bruce Brown Jr. went too strong on a contested floater against Julius Randle. He didn't give up on the play though. Relentless as ever, Brown Jr. followed his own miss and prevented the Wolves from securing the rebound. CJ McCollum recovered the ball and was ultimately credited for the offensive board, but Brown Jr. absolutely created the rebound for the Pels. With the extra possession, New Orleans took advantage of a scrambling Minnesota defense and Zion got a clutch layup to put the Pelicans up four and effectively bury the Wolves.
Bruce Brown Jr. is one of the most uniquely gifted role players in the entire league. At 6'4", he's undersized for a wing, but his low center of gravity, 6'9" wingspan, and constant activity make him an incredible stopper on both the perimeter and as a help defender inside the arc. On offense, his deep shooting is pretty hit-or-miss but he makes up for his inconsistency from outside by excelling at the little things: cutting, screening, finding the open man, and, yes, offensive rebounding. If the Pelicans can keep him this summer, they could have an embarrassment of wealth with their depth next season.