The New Orleans Pelicans did pick up another loss, 133-125 in overtime, against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday night.
Despite this loss, fans now have an idea of the level this team can play at under interim head coach James Borrego's fast-paced style. New Orleans led for most of this game because they played unselfishly, with pace, and prioritized the three-ball. This pace-and-space brand of basketball was the same one the Hornets played under Borrego during his four seasons with the franchise.
At certain points in the game, particularly at the end of the first quarter, we witnessed exactly how lethal New Orleans' style of play can be. The Pelicans closed the quarter with an impressive 24-4 run, and scored a season-high 39 points in that first frame.
The consistency of playing this style for 48 minutes is still a work in progress. But overall, the offense is looking up.
A few performances to highlight
Zion Williamson not only scored the basket that forced overtime but also the deflection that sent this one to OT. With just under six seconds to play, he drove to the basket and made one of the toughest layups I've ever seen over former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. Then, in the next possession, he deflected a Memphis inbound pass. Z finished the night with 17 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Yves Missi had his second straight monster performance. All night, Missi played with incredible effort and hustle—he was fighting on both the offensive and defensive glass. He had a few monster dunks and thunderous blocks that not only clearly boosted his confidence but also uplifted the team, leading to the big runs in quarters one and three.
Jose Alvarado continues to be this team's backbone. He finished the game with 24 points and six made threes, but again, his impact went far beyond his counting stats. As per usual, he came off the bench and gave a major spark, and knocked down shots in the biggest possible moments.
Derik Queen had another big night, finishing with 10 points and nine assists. He mainly ran with the second unit, which I thought looked really good, as his ability to operate as the team's hub offensively helped generate countless open looks for his teammates.
Last guy is Jordan Hawkins, who had by far his best game of the season, knocking down 4/8 threes and finishing with a season high 14 points. I really hope this performance boosts Hawkins' confidence going forward, because if he can go back to being a knockdown shooter, this Pelicans second unit could be scary.
Other guys who deserve their flowers in this one are Saddiq Bey, Micah Peavy, and Bryce McGowens—all three of them had solid showings in Wednesday's loss. Side note: I could talk about Peavy's play for hours, but I'll save that for its own article.