Ranking Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram's best games as a Pelicans duo

We may be witnessing the end of an era with the New Orleans Pelicans. There was a lot of optimism surrounding the team going into the sixth season with their star duo featuring Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. Williamson had just come off the healthiest campaign of his career last year when he played 70 games, he significantly slimmed down in the summer, and the Pelicans added All-Star guard Dejounte Murray in the offseason to run their offense.

With enough internal improvement from their young players like Zion, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Trey Murphy III, New Orleans would have been capable of making some serious noise in the Western Conference if everyone stayed healthy. Unfortunately, that last prerequisite has haunted the Pelicans through this early season, with serious injuries plaguing practically the entire team's core.

With Zion, TMIII, Herb, Dejounte, and CJ McCollum all suffering ailments that would hold them out for multiple weeks, the Pels have struggled to keep their heads above water during this shorthanded stretch. They're currently 4-10 and in sole possession of the 14th seed in the West.

Brandon Ingram was always a good candidate to be traded this season, as he's in the last year of his current contract and hasn't exactly been the ideal complement for Zion in their time together. Now, with the Pelicans flailing, he's even more likely to be moved with New Orleans possibly headed for a gap year that'll see them lose as many games as possible in hopes of landing a better draft pick this summer.

The Zion-Ingram pairing has endured a ton of scrutiny ever since they first joined forces in New Orleans, and for good reason. That said, they were one of the most exciting young duos in the NBA for a long time. Amid all of the criticisms and regrets, it's worthwhile to commemorate some of their best showings as a star tandem.

Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram's most dominant games together

3. February 21, 2021 vs Boston Celtics

This was an early introduction into how dangerous Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram could be together. In their second season as a duo — practically their first as Zion only played 24 games his rookie year — BI and Big Z went to head-to-head with the Boston Celtics' young star wing tandem, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and emerged victorious.

Boston's two Jays combined for 57 points, but the Pelicans got the last laugh behind Ingram and Zion's 61 combined points. Zion dropped 13 in the fourth quarter on 5/6 shooting to force overtime after he and New Orleans overcame a 13-point deficit in the period. Ingram chipped in six points in the fourth and added another six in OT to help lead the Pels to a thrilling 120-115 victory. This moment helped put the Pelicans' young duo on the map.

2. November 24, 2023 @ Los Angeles Clippers

It's not all ancient history from Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson as a duo. This pairing might be broken up soon, but they've had quite a few dominant showings recently. Last season, they put up a masterclass on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers and their "Big 3."

Going against the newly formed trio of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden, the Pelicans needed their stars to show up to try to outgun LA's new triumvirate. Zion and Ingram delivered, combining for 62 points to Kawhi, PG, and Harden's 65 in an elevated In-Season Tournament seeding game.

This game was tied up early in the fourth quarter after a George dunk, but, behind Zion and Ingram's combined 16 points in the period, the Pelicans were able to pull away late, taking the victory, 116-106. The two also added 10 rebounds and 10 assists, giving another glimpse into what this pairing could have been at its best. Alas, it might turn out to be their last dominant showing as a duo.

3. April 12, 2021 vs Sacramento Kings

The 2020-21 NBA season was special for the New Orleans Pelicans. It was the first year they got a real look at Zion and Ingram as a star duo, and the two put up some truly encouraging games that suggested they'd be one of the most feared couplings in the league for years to come.

There were several games that season where they both went off to secure a dub for the Pels. Even though the team overall stunk, having finished with a 31-41 record, many of the nights they were able to steal a victory were due to tremendous play from their two stars.

This Spring matchup against the Kings was one of those times. Zion and Ingram put up 64 combined points that night, their second-most ever in a single game as a duo. 20 of those came in the fourth quarter. They had to work tirelessly to stave off a comeback attempt from the De'Aaron Fox and the Kings. Zion also had six rebounds and four assists while Ingram added six boards of his own and seven dimes. They've had some truly spectacular games as a pair, but this one might be their piece de resistance.