James Borrego's Brave Derik Queen Decision Pays Off vs. Bulls

The New Orleans Pelicans rode with Karlo Matkovic in the fourth quarter to secure their second consecutive win.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The New Orleans won their fifth game of the season on Sunday night, sweeping their season series against the Chicago Bulls. With Zion Williamson back after a six-game absence due to adductor strain and Jordan Poole playing in his second straight game, the Pelicans were healthier than they have been since the start of the season. They immediately looked like a better team, leading for most of the game after taking control in the second quarter.

The Chicago Bulls mounted a comeback late in the third quarter to briefly take the lead. At that moment, head coach James Borrego made a brave decision. He started the fourth quarter with Karlo Matkovic, who had not played a single second in the game until that point. Derik Queen or Yves Missi didn't play at all as Matkovic played the entire quarter, finishing with four points, four rebounds, and a block as the Pelicans won his minutes by nine.

It wasn't the best game of the season for Queen. The standout rookie struggled in his 25 minutes of action, finishing with four points, eight rebounds, six assists, and five turnovers. He only took four field goals and didn't go to the free-throw line, highlighting his lack of agression.

Derik Queen Needs to Be More Consistent to Avoid Getting Benched Late

Instead of riding with Queen, the Pelicans' interim head coach decided to go a different direction with Matkovic, even if it meant potentially alienating Queen. This paid dividends as Matkovic brought energy off the bench and had arguably the best defensive play of the fourth quarter with his chasedown block on Nikola Vucevic that wiped off two points from the Bulls in a crucial moment of the game.

In his postgame presser, Borrego said that he "didn't love the team's energy in the first half" and made the decision at halftime to rely on Matkovic. He said that Matkovic provided them with what they were looking for, making an impact with his energy on both ends of the floor.

While Borrego didn't address the benching of Queen specifically, the decision speaks volumes about where the talented rookie needs to improve. This wasn't the first time the former Maryland star didn't close the game for the Pelicans. For him to take that next step to stardom in the league, Queen has to make sure that he is not giving the coaching staff any reason to bench him down the stretch. The way to do that will be through consistency on both ends of the floor and playing with the same energy every game.