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NBA Summer League Game 1 wrap: Pelicans 90, Knicks 84

LAS VEGAS – Frank Jackson started pushing the ball up the court to get New Orleans into its offense, but then he started feeling like he was being pushed physically. As he dribbled early in the fourth quarter Friday, the Thomas & Mack Center began swaying, part of an earthquake that hit in neighboring state California, registering a 6.9 magnitude.

“That was crazy,” said Jackson, who piled up 30 points, prior to the Pelicans’ summer league opener being canceled with 7:53 remaining. “I’ve never experienced that ever. That was kind of gnarly.

“I felt like someone was pushing my hip and I kind of leaned (to one side), and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is going on?’ Then I just saw everything shaking.”

New Orleans was awarded with a victory after the giant scoreboard above the floor began shaking, as well as some speakers and other fixtures attached to Thomas & Mack’s ceiling, creating an unplayable safety risk. Instead of trying to resume and finish the final seven-plus minutes, the Pelicans and Knicks went to their locker rooms and headed out of the arena not long afterward.

While the earthquake will be the major story when much of the rest of the country wakes up early Saturday, many of the 17,000-plus fans in attendance came to see Zion Williamson’s NBA debut in Las Vegas. The No. 1 overall draft pick finished with 11 points on 4/9 shooting, throwing down multiple dunks in only nine minutes of action. His night was cut short after he banged knees with a Knicks player; the Pelicans held him out of the second half as a precautionary measure. Still, in his brief time on the hardwood, he excited the sold-out audience with highlight-reel slams, including a play where he ripped the ball from second-year Knicks forward Kevin Knox and threw down a resounding dunk.

“He’s a monster,” Jackson said of Williamson. “He does it all. He’s so big and so physical. It’s hard to stay in front of him. He’s just so powerful, so everything he does is going to be explosive.”

IT WAS OVER WHEN…

Usually this category includes a dagger basket by the winning team, or a back-breaking fourth-quarter play. On Friday, it was a rare weather event, followed by the decision to call the game, not chancing any potential issues. When the earthquake struck, the building shook for several seconds, causing hundreds of fans to head to the exits and leave the inner bowl of Thomas & Mack.

PELICANS PLAYER UPDATES

Jackson’s 30-point outburst was impressive in a variety of ways, including that he did it in only 24 minutes. He sat out the first couple minutes of the fourth quarter and had just been reinserted when the earthquake hit. Jackson had been on a shooting roll and finished the game with excellent efficiency, going 11/17 from the field and 5/9 from three-point range.

“I’ve worked really hard this offseason,” Jackson said of his performance. “My teammates do a great job of putting me in the right positions, making plays for me. I look to stay aggressive and stay true to who I am. That’s who I’ve been my whole life. I want people to know that.” …

While Williamson only got to log nine minutes, the Pelicans’ other starting frontcourt players were very productive in larger allotments. Kenrich Williams’ versatile game featured five points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block, while surprise starter Kavell Bigby-Williams (LSU) anchored the paint with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. …

Williamson finished 4/9 from the field and 3/6 at the foul line, with the latter being an area he’ll continue to work on after shooting 64 percent at Duke. Williamson began the game with two missed shots from the perimeter, but began using his foot speed and physicality to get to the rim. Several of Williamson’s first-half plays energized the crowd and his teammates watching from the sideline.

“This was unbelievable,” Jackson said of the game atmosphere created by a massive crowd. “It reminded me a little bit of what I saw at Cameron (Indoor Stadium) at Duke. It was loud and a fun environment to play in.” …

Undrafted rookie Zylan Cheatham joined Williams and Bigby-Williams with many positive moments from the New Orleans frontcourt. The Arizona State product posted six points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes, frequently getting deflections and scrambling for loose balls.

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