Pelicans (4-9), Warriors (2-12)
At times early in the 2019-20 season, NBA rookies Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Nicolo Melli and Jaxson Hayes haven’t played major minutes, as they attempt to cement roles in the New Orleans rotation. Amid widespread injuries, the newcomers – two are first-year pros, the latter boasts vast international experience – were vital contributors Sunday, allowing the Pelicans to prevail despite being severely shorthanded. Only nine players were available in a white uniform against Golden State, but six of them cracked double digits in points. Alexander-Walker followed up his 27-point outing at Miami 24 hours earlier with 19 points, while Hayes notched his first NBA double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds). Melli played his best offensive game of the season, notching 16 points, including five three-pointers made.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
JJ Redick buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 1:09 left, putting New Orleans back up by a 102–94 margin, after Golden State used a mini-run to make things a bit dicey. The Pelicans had built a 10-point edge on an Alexander-Walker mid-range jumper with two-plus minutes to go.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
The team’s most experienced NBA veteran, Redick set the tone with a 17-point first half, pushing the hosts into a 55-49 edge at intermission. The Duke University product ended up topping New Orleans with 26 points, highlighted by 6/11 shooting from beyond the arc. He continues to excel from the perimeter in November, now going 28/55 on threes this month.
BY THE NUMBERS
12: Jrue Holiday’s fourth-quarter points. He was 4/16 from the field through three periods, but then went 5/7 in the final stanza, as well as 2/2 from the foul line. Holiday scored 22 points overall.
18/46: New Orleans three-point shooting. The Pelicans at one stage seemed to be on pace to fire the most three-pointers in a single game in team history, but wound up a few attempts shy (50 is the record, set Oct. 26 at Houston).
3: Pelicans players who connected on at least five three-pointers. Redick canned six; Alexander-Walker and Melli deposited five apiece. Neither team was very efficient from two-point range, with New Orleans just 19/43 and Golden State going 30/66.
#WEEKLYREVIEW
On Sunday and Monday gamedays throughout the season, we’ll be asking fans to vote for their Pelicans Player of the Week from the previous seven-day period. For the first time in 2019-20, forward Brandon Ingram did not earn the award, with him missing all four of the club’s games played (vs. Houston, vs. LA Clippers, at Miami, vs. Golden State). Jrue Holiday collected a majority of the votes on Twitter and was the Week 4 winner, beating out nominees Nickeil Alexander-Walker, E’Twaun Moore and Kenrich Williams. Only five Pelicans appeared in all four Week 4 games.
