The New Orleans Pelicans beat the Golden State Warriors 113-109 Tuesday night to improve their record to 17-42 this season. The biggest topic following this win was the return of Dejounte Murray, who played in his first game since January 31, 2025. While Murray impressed in his return, the Pelicans’ true unsung hero was Bryce McGowens.
After a strong start to the game, when the Pelicans led after one quarter, 31-19, things stalled on the offensive end as the Warriors went into a zone that had New Orleans puzzled. With the Warriors starting to take control of the game, interim head coach James Borrego needed to find an answer, and he elected to bring McGowens in, who had sat out the entire first half and would be coming in cold.
It paid off. McGowens brought energy and floor spacing that helped the Pelicans swing the game back in their favor. The 23-year-old finished the game with seven points, four rebounds, one steal, and one block while shooting 60 percent from the field.
His ability to impact the game no matter the situation he's thrown into is what makes McGowens such a valuable role player. Games like Tuesday night are a prime example of why the front office made the right call by converting his contract from a two-way deal to a standard one.
Why McGowens continues to prove the Pelicans right
This season, McGowens has been a valuable floor spacer for the Pelicans, shooting 44.6 percent from three to go along with his averages of 8.1 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. His attention to detail, anticipation, readiness to shoot, basketball IQ, and fluid jump shot make him an ideal complementary piece.
To put it simply, he's a winning player. There was a possession around the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter when the Warriors had a wide-open, rolling Draymond Green, and McGowens adjusted perfectly. He quickly switched off his man and made an incredible diving effort to jump at the entry pass and poke it into the air, where Herb Jones tracked it down. This led to a transition corner three for Saddiq Bey. Little plays like this are why the fan base is really starting to fall in love with McGowens' game.
Something I've continued to highlight about McGowens is his understanding of his role, and Tuesday's game was no exception. He came in and provided energy defensively and on the glass before capitalizing on his scoring opportunities.
What separates a good role player from a great one is versatility and the ability to impact the game in different situations. Bryce McGowens has shown he can do exactly that, and with each performance, the Pelicans’ decision to give him a standard contract becomes more and more valid.