Whether it was defense, rebounding, transition offense – you name it, New Orleans did it more effectively Thursday than in any of its previous games. As a result, the Pelicans cracked the win column for the first time in 2019-20, after coming up just shy in three opening-week contests.
After giving up at least 123 points in every previous game, New Orleans held Denver to just 107 and no more than 55 in either half. The Pelicans entered Thursday ranked third-to-last in the NBA in rebounding percentage, but outboarded the Nuggets 37-35. For good measure, New Orleans raced to a season-best 37 fast-break points.
IT WAS OVER WHEN…
Jrue Holiday drained his fifth three-pointer, then Jahlil Okafor came up with a steal and fast-break layup, putting New Orleans in front 105-84 in the fourth quarter, its biggest lead of the Western Conference meeting. At the 7:21 mark shortly thereafter, Denver’s Michael Malone made multiple substitutions, putting an entire lineup of Nuggets backups on the floor.
PELICANS PLAYER OF THE GAME
The combination of Duke products Jahlil Okafor and Frank Jackson both played their best games of the season by a significant margin. Okafor capitalized on his second straight start in place of Derrick Favors (knee soreness), outplaying MVP candidate Nikola Jokic to the tune of 26 points on 8/13 shooting from the floor. Meanwhile, Jackson had a splendid shooting performance during the fifth game of 20-plus points in his brief pro career, totaling 21. His career high is 25 points. Jackson was 8/10 from the field, including 4/6 on threes.
BY THE NUMBERS
32: New Orleans season-most free throws attempted. The Pelicans had not taken more than 17 foul shots in any other game.
25/37: Combined shooting from the field from the four Duke University products who played for New Orleans. A fifth ex-Blue Devil, Zion Williamson, is sidelined by injury.
53.2: New Orleans shooting percentage from the field. Both the starters and reserves shot over 50 percent as groups.
#THURSDAYTHREES
For all eight Thursday games throughout New Orleans’ regular season, we’ll be selecting a Pelicans player we think will most exceed his season average in made three-pointers that night. Daniel Sallerson selected JJ Redick (entered averaging 2.5, made one), while Jim Eichenhofer picked Jrue Holiday (0.5). In a fan poll among four other candidates, Lonzo Ball (2.8, made one) was chosen. The winner of the first “contest” was Eichenhofer, after Holiday came out red-hot and drained five threes, one shy of his career high. Sallerson and Eichenhofer cannot repeat a player among any of the first four Thursday games.
