In Thursday's matchup with the Houston Rockets, the New Orleans Pelicans showed a ton of heart and a never-say-die attitude in the Pels' 133-128 comeback win. After trailing just nine after one quarter, the Pelicans were sucker punched by the Rockets in the second quarter, being outscored 34-21 and trailing by 22 at the half.
However, this disastrous second quarter didn't stop the Pelicans from battling, as they cut Houston's 25-point lead to 16 by the start of the fourth quarter. New Orleans would then go on a 17-5 run led by a heroic effort from Herb Jones, who finished the game with a career high eight steals.
New Orleans outscored Houston 38-22 overall in the fourth and forced overtime. A huge part of this was Saddiq Bey, who scored 11 points in the fourth and continued his tear in OT. The first year Pelican finished the game with 29 points and solidified what was by far his best game since arriving in New Orleans.
By halftime, I had already drafted an article highlighting how, even when healthy, the Pelicans didn't have the talent to even compete for a play-in spot in the Western Conference. However, the resilience and grit this group showed Thursday against a team many people, myself included, see as a title contender, makes me believe this could be the start of a turnaround.
A play-in berth is still very reasonable
With Zion Williamson returning to health, and Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears playing like top-five rookies, optimism is reasonable.
Trey Murphy III continues to look like a true No. 1 option, finishing Thursday with 27 points on 69 percent shooting. Herb Jones and Saddiq Bey have been elite on the wings, while Jose Alvarado continues to provide a gritty spark off the bench. Add in James Borrego coaching his tail off and emphasizing pace and togetherness, and this team can realistically compete for the 8th through 10th seeds in the West.
I'm not saying I would put all my eggs in one basket or suddenly view this team as a Western Conference contender if I were Joe Dumars. However, what I am saying is that on Thursday, this group looked more than competent and, if given enough time, could make a push into a play-in spot.
I still lean towards the Pelicans being sellers at the trade deadline, as that may be more beneficial in the long term. That being said, if the Pelicans keep up this level of play, it would be hard for any front office to pull the plug.