Touched patch night in the Western Conference. The Pelicans they visited the Rockets, a team that has given up despite the slight push they seemed to take when James Harden left. Those from Louisiana arrived with what they were wearing, with several important casualties.
Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the two offensive references, and Josh Hart, a quality backup, were out for this commitment.
It was time to give way to other protagonists, but with an anvil above the heads of the visiting players: there, due to the rival’s circumstance and not so much one’s own, it could not be missed.
They held the pulse of the party and took the victory by 115-122. This allows them to breathe and continue to cope their fight to get into the top eight with hope.
This day has been a small boost for two Pelicans players, two men with the future in the NBA very present and aware of how well they have to do in the last games of the season if they want to hunt a good contract in the summer.
Lonzo Ball he was the best player for the Pelicans, winners tonight. The point guard finished with 27 points, 9 assists and 4 rebounds, being somewhat more inconsistent when it came to retaining possession (6 losses).
The sensations also count and having Bledsoe by his side and being the one who clearly pulled his team’s car is a double victory, even if it is in the morale of a player with her dented since he stepped into the NBA for the first time.
Ball, not at all expert in shooting, hit eight 3-pointers in fifteen attempts, another very positive point for his confidence. In August he will be a free agent and what he has dragged in recent times has not played in favor of him reaching an economic standard at the quality that he does have and it is difficult for him to demonstrate.
Willy Hernangómez he was the most active substitute for the Pelicans. In front was a Kelly Olynyk who added 26 points, but the Spaniard finished in positive and knew better to contain the dangerous Christian Wood than his fellow starters did.
Due to the configuration of the night, Van Gundy chose to put Adams and Hayes, two centers of the same profile, together in the starting lineup, but he had to adapt to what the night demanded.
The work of the Spaniard was remarkable, almost impeccable: 7/7 shooting from the field and only one failure in the free kick, 15 points and 12 rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
Fighting for the second center position is key for him, whatever his idea for next year is, it continues adding public exposure, because it is fulfilling in most of the matches in which it has it, it will be important to have a new opportunity to continue in the League when the teams can offer new contracts.