The New Orleans Pelicans finally got into the win column, beating the Sacramento Kings 132-120 in their fifth game of the season. In this game, Jamahl Mosley shook up his starting lineup with Dejounte Murray away from the team for the birth of his child. Herb Jones joined Jeremiah Fears in the backcourt, and Karlo Matkovic also got his first start of the season, replacing DeAndre Jordan, who started the previous two games. Matkovic's impact was immediate, but Jones still had fans worried through the first quarter.
Jones came out of the gate looking aggressive offensively, and it looked like the same story that unfolded over the last two seasons was going to repeat itself. He started the game 0-for-2 from three, and while his defense was solid, the team was struggling to stop the Kings, and Jones was kind of all over the place on both ends.
But I’m happy I held out hope because Jones turned up after the first quarter, finishing the game with 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and two steals while shooting 7-of-12 from the field. OH, and I’d be foolish not to mention he was a PLUS-27! On a night when the Pelicans only won by 12. How's that for impact?
Did Herb Jones save his best performance for my final Pelicans game?
The second quarter started, and Jones started to look like the old version of himself, getting in passing lanes, turning defense into offense on the fast break, and playing in a real rhythm. It also offered a possible explanation for why his start to this season has been so rough statistically. When you have someone like Jones, who finds his offensive rhythm by getting stops defensively, it's hard to play your game when you're on such a short leash and aren't on the court for extended stretches.
Mosley gave him a long leash against the Kings, and No. 2 gave us a performance like he was wearing No. 5 again.
Seeing Jones look like the player fans fell in love with during the early stages of his career was awesome and validated all of us still holding out hope that he was far from washed. It was also a great thing for his trade value, as he continues to be the subject of a lot of trade rumors in the Pelicans community.
But on a personal note, seeing Jones play this way on the night of my final game covering the New Orleans Pelicans meant a lot to me. I know he has zero clue who I am and probably has never read any of my work, but Jones was a primary reason I initially took the role writing for the Pelicans. Before I even religiously watched Pelicans games because I had to for work, Jones was one of my favorite players in the entire NBA, and that’s not an exaggeration. I literally got his jersey for my 18th birthday. That’s my guy forever, and there’s no better way to end this journey than with a Herb Jones post.
So as I end this chapter of my sports journalism career, I want to thank the readers and the Pelicans community for helping me discover my voice and being such an important part of the formative years of my career. It’s been a hell of a ride, and I’ll never forget this. P.S. I’m coming to the Blender in 2027!!!
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