Grades for the Pelicans starters
Brandon Ingram: A+.
This was easily the best game of Ingram's season. He dropped a season-high 40 points while shooting 14-of-23 from the field this season. He knocked down 11 of his 12 free throws, too, while being a plus-12 in the box score in just 31 minutes.
Jonas Valanciunas: A-
Valanciunas was a force down low. He racked up 18 rebounds -- including three offensive rebounds -- helping the Pelicans outrebound the Wizards. He added an efficient 16 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the field in 33 minutes.
CJ McCollum: A-
The 6-foot-3 guard providing a winning impact while shooting 4-of-6 on 3-pointers. Shooting 8-of-14 from the field, McCollum scored 22 points, adding three rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes.
Herb Jones: D
Jones was essentially a non-factor in this one. He tallied just six points while shooting 3-of-9 from the field. He was a -17 in his 20 minutes played and the bench was able to make more of an impact than him.
Dyson Daniels: D+
Similar to Jones, Daniels was a -17 in his 16 minutes. He shot 1-of-6 from the field and 0-of-4 on 3-pointers. He did add four rebounds, two assists and two steals despite the poor shooting night, making his impact slightly better than Jones'.