Moleskin Moments: New Orleans Pelicans defeat the Dallas Mavericks 1.25.15

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Published: January 26, 2015

This is the biggest win of the season for the New Orleans Pelicans thus far. The 109-106 win is the third in a row for the Pelicans (their longest winning streak of the season.) It snaps a 9-game losing streak that the team had going against the Dallas Mavericks. The team is now two games behind the Phoenix Suns for the eighth and final playoff spot. While point guard Jrue Holiday is still out, the team saw strong performances by both Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon, players who have had their struggled at times this year, and saw Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans take over the game late. The Pelicans take on the Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow at 7 pm.

Quarter 1

  • The game started with a good play being run by the Pelicans. Gordon got a pick from Davis, who rolled to the basket hard while Gordon drove into the lane. The Mavs closed the lane up, but Dante Cunningham was left open on the baseline, nailing a mid-range jumper.
  • 10:51- Rondo is pressuring Tyreke Evans at half-court. It will be interesting to see if this leads to turnovers or prevents the Pelicans from getting into their sets.
  • 8:45- Back-to-back midrange jumpers from Anthony Davis, not a good sign.
  • 7:56-Evans is in attack mode early, which is a good sign.
  • 7:24- Evans attacks the rim but misses a layup. Davis picks up the rebound and scores on an and-1. Rebounding, being a key to the game, is going the Pelicans’ way early.
  • 5:53- Early play of the game candidate: Evans keeps Dirk Nowitzki committed long enough that when he finally lobs the ball to Davis, he catches it and finishes the alley-oop for an and-1. It is Nowitzki’s second foul of the quarter.
  • 2:14- The Mavericks are doubling Davis every time he touches the ball by the baseline, the team is going to have to make something happen with the space that this affords them.
  • :59- Anderson makes a jumpshot, a kind sight for sore eyes. (Taking a step inside seemed to help Anderson at first, whose first three made field goals were inside the arc.) On his first field goal, he surpassed the 5,000 point total.
  • Double pick and roll set for Evans by Anderson and Davis. Good way of getting Davis a different look. The play resulted in an open look for Evans right before the quarter.

Quarter 2

  • Nate Wolters-Gordon-Quincy Pondextor-Anderson-Alexis Ajinca is the starting lineup of the second quarter.
  • 8:24- The Pelicans haven’t sniffed the paint the last few possessions on offense.
  • 5:03- Davis steals the ball twice in the same possession. He is essentially playing a free safety role while covering Richard Jefferson, taking a lot of space up on the weakside of the court.
  • 4:04- Anderson nails a baseline three for his 18th (and final) point of the game.

Quarter 3

  • 11:11- Nowitzki rolling.
  • 10:48- Davis too.
  • 2:30- 10 free throws this quarter for Dallas, who used the constant stoppage of play to set up their defense and cut into the Pelicans’ lead.

Quarter 4

  • The team starts the quarter with both Davis and Evans in the game, hoping to avoid the lull they had to start the second quarter.
  • 9:40- No ball movement. Wolters dribbles the ball for ten seconds, then a lazy high pick and roll resulting in a contested three.
  • 4:12- Trying to suppress the Maverick’s run and coming out of a timeout, Davis is completely drawn out of the play that was run, standing by the basket, no movement from him, no movement towards him. Hard to believe that coach Monty Williams drew it up that way.
  • Next possession, Davis is isolated on the baseline against Tyson Chandler. When off-the-ball defenders cheat a little, no one cuts or moves. Davis takes a contested midrange jumper that misses.
  • Next possession, shot clock violation.
  • 1:33- Gordon hits a clutch three. It’s his first basket since the second quarter, and ties the game up at 102, after the Mavericks had stormed back into the game and taken the lead.
  • :54- Great stretch: beautiful block by Davis, who passes it to Gordon. Gordon outlets it deep to Q-Pon, who gets fouled by Nowitzki.
  • :23- Evans with a beautiful drive and makes a one handed layup. 105-104 Pels.
  • :12- Monta Ellis makes a beautiful layup over Omer Asik. Asik couldn’t have played it much better. The perimeter defense of the Pelicans was torched by Ellis tonight (36 points on 16-27.) 106-105 Mavs.
  • :12- Chandler gets greedy and hangs on to Davis, who nails a couple of clutch free throws to retake the lead. 107-106.
  • :9- Great double by Evans onto Ellis in order to deny the ball. The Mavs try to inbound the ball to Nowitzki over Davis, but Davis tips the ball and comes up with it in the scrum. Pels ball. Game.
  • After the game, Davis credited Monty with the strategy to have the person defending the inbounds double up Ellis. It was executed well by the Pelicans, as the Mavericks switched players who were inbounding the ball after the first attempt was deflected out of bounds.

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