NBA Top Five Performances, Jan. 13: Jonas Valanciunas’ Double-Double Leads Pelicans to Third Win Without Zion Williamson

Valanciunas continues to perform in the absence of Zion

TOP PLAYER OF THE DAY:

New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds in their win against the Detroit Pistons. 

Valanciunas has averaged 21 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists since Zion Williamson’s injury against the Houston Rockets. Pelicans coach Willie Green said Valanciunas’ ability to create offense helped Friday night.

“He did a really solid job of playmaking from the post,” Green said. “Not all teams can stop the play, settle us down and create offense from that. Having JV occupy that space was huge for us tonight.”

"It's a luxury to have. Not all teams can stop the play, settle us down, throw the ball in the post, and create offense from that... It was huge for us tonight."

-HC Willie Green on JV pic.twitter.com/qapGPSe4u5

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 14, 2023

OTHERS:

-Anthony Edwards’ 10th 30-point game of the season led the Minnesota Timberwolves to victory against the struggling Phoenix Suns. Edwards is quietly having an All-Star-caliber season but a no-show on the fan ballot.

“Personally I feel like I’m an All-Star,” Edwards said. “But I guess a lot of people don’t. I ain’t trippin though, I just want to get to the playoffs.”

I asked Anthony Edwards if he feels disrespected by the All Star voting and if he thinks he’s an All Star. Loved his response Ant Man is locked in #RaisedByWolves pic.twitter.com/1aJpQ7YUI5

— SneakerReporter (@SneakerReporter) January 14, 2023

-Days after hitting a winning 3-pointer, Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma had a near career-high 40 points against the New York Knicks. Although it wasn’t enough to get the win, performances like this add fuel to Kuzma’s All-Star campaign. He is having a career year in his second season with Washington.

-Oklahoma City Thunder shooting guard Josh Giddey tied his season high in scoring with a 25-point performance against the Chicago Bulls. Giddey is establishing himself as the most consistent scorer outside of point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

-Domantas Sabonis’ triple-double helped lead Sacramento in their blowout victory against the Houston Rockets. Sabonis had 19 points, 15 rebounds and a career-high 16 assists.

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Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.