Battle of the Birds: High-Flying Pelicans Host Hawks Looking For 3rd Straight Win
NEW ORLEANS - During their 10-game losing streak, the offensive numbers for the New Orleans Pelicans were just that...pretty offensive.
The Pelicans averaged an NBA-worst 103.9 points per game during that stretch. They couldn't buy a bucket from three-point range, and the team as a whole was playing lethargic, uninspired basketball.
Suddenly, there has been a correction in the Pels' flight plan and the offense is not only back on course, it is soaring.
In wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, New Orleans scored a total of 267 points.
The 136 they scored against the Kings were the most by any Pelicans team in regulation since they put up 144 on the Memphis Grizzlies almost two years ago.
And they did it without Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Jonas Valanciunas.
The Pels may have put together their best back-to-back performances of the season with two of their top floor players on the floor for just 56 minutes.
In those wins they posted an offensive rating of 132.8, nearly four points higher than the next closest team. Their net rating of 17.8 was second-highest.
The offense was so effective because of its balance. Of the eight players who appeared in both games, five averaged double figures in scoring. Eight players shot better than 50 percent from the floor.
Of course, no one had a better weekend than Trey Murphy III.
Murphy's February has included his inclusion in the AT&T Slam Dunk contest and Jordan Rising Stars Challenge, but that all paled in comparison to what he did to the Lakers and Kings.
He was good against LA, scoring 21 points and grabbing five rebounds in 28 minutes. Against Sacramento, he may have had the breakout performance of his career.
"Trigga" scored 30 points on 11 field goal attempts, making 6-of-8 three pointers, added another poster to a collection that may one day end up on the walls of the New Orleans Museum of Art.
The Pelicans' wings (Murphy, Naji Marshall, Herb Jones) will have to keep it up as New Orleans works itself back into the thick of the Western Conference playoff chase.
Tonight, they welcome the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks are playing the final game of a five-game road trip and coming off of a 20-point loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Atlanta beat the Pelicans in overtime back on Nov. 5.
In that game, New Orleans did a solid job of making Trae Young and Dejounte Murray work for their shots. The duo scored a combined 56 points on 18-of-49 shooting.
The x-factor for the Hawks was Clint Capela, who finished with 21 points, most of them coming on dunks.
If Valanciunas can't go, Larry Nance Jr. will get his second consecutive start. Nance was very effective at center against Sacramento and has been exceptional over the last five games (10.6 pts, 10.6 reb).
The Pelicans have to keep winning, especially at home, to make up for the ground that they lost during the month of January.
Hopefully, how they played over the weekend was an indicator of what's to come, rather than a reminder of how good it was when the team was at its best earlier this season.
Injuries
Pelicans: Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas (game-time decisions); Zion Williamson, EJ Liddell (out)
Hawks: None
New Orleans Pelicans (28-27) vs Atlanta Hawks (27-27)
Time: 6:30 PM CST
Place: Smoothie King Center
Watch: Bally Sports NO
Listen: WRNO 99.5FM
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