Recap: Pelicans Topple Nets

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Published: March 10, 2015

The New Orleans Pelicans thoroughly defeated the Brooklyn Nets 111-91. The win makes it three straight for New Orleans (5-2 over the last ten days, 9-2 over their last 11 games) and puts the Pelicans in a virtual tie with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eighth and final playoff spot (the Pelicans hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Thunder having won three of the four games the teams have played against each other this season.)

The Pelicans won despite star Anthony Davis having an off (for him) day, scoring 15 points on 5/16 shooting, with six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Six different players scored in 12+ points tonight for the Pelicans, being led by Alexis Ajinca and Quincy Pondexter, who each had 17. Pondexter followed up his career high of 25 the last time these two teams played by making five of six three pointers tonight (happy birthday Q-Pon). Omer “No Ice” Asik dominated the paint, scoring 12 points and having 15 rebounds.  Norris Cole filled in amicably for Tyreke Evans, notching 16 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Here’s how the Pels handled the keys to the game:

  • Rebounding- The Pelicans and Nets each had 41 rebounds in tonight’s game. But even with the Nets having the edge with 12 offensive rebounds to the Pelicans eight, New Orleans still outscored the Brooklyn 15-8 on second chance points, negating any positive that the Nets were hoping for in jumpstarting their offense.
  • Points in the Paint- This stat also hilariously ended in a tie, with each team scoring 50 points in the paint. The Nets started off hot, outscoring the Pels 16-10 in the first quarter in points in the paint, and Brook Lopez made all five of his first quarter field goals. But the Nets would end up shooting under 50% from the paint for the game, while Lopez would go on to miss six of his last seven shots.
  • Assists- This is the stat that the Pels dominated. New Orleans had 31 assists to the Nets 19. I was worried about the Pelicans not passing the ball as much, with Evans out and only Davis being worthy of a double team. But the Pelicans whipped the ball around the entire game, to the point where every player who came into the game made a field goal (yes, even Jeff Withey.) As Cole said after the game, “We executed offensively, shared the ball, played together. When we do that, we’re a tough team.”
  • The Pelicans are now 3-2 during Bourbon Street Shots’ watch parties.

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