Pelicans, Jonas Valanciunas Rule The Paint To Defeat Hornets
The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Charlotte Hornets 112-107 on Friday evening. Jonas Valanciunas was the star of the show, finishing with 29 points and 13 rebounds. In his return from injury, Williamson had a double-double on the night with 21 points and 11 rebounds. New Orleans moved to four games over .500, the most over that mark all season.
The game started as an offensive struggle as New Orleans shot 36% from the field while Charlotte shot just 37%. Both teams combined shot 2/13 from beyond the arc. Zion Williamson made three of the Pels' eight field goals in the quarter, leading all scorers with six points. Defensively, the Pelicans allowed the Hornets just two assists in the quarter and forced two turnovers, holding a slim 21-20 lead after the first period.
Dec 15, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) walks to the bench during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
The second quarter resembled much of the first, as the teams had issues scoring. Charlotte made just one three-point shot in the quarter and scored just 19 points. New Orleans knocked down three three-point shots, then started to impose its will against the smaller Hornets team. Jonas Valanciunas finished the half with 15 points, while Zion Williamson had a season-high for rebounds in a half with eight.
The Pelicans ended the quarter on a 13-2 run to give them some cushion heading into halftime. New Orleans led 50-39, with the interior big men dominating in the paint. The lead didn't last as the Pelicans began to turn the ball over, allowing Charlotte to creep back into the game. Brandon Ingram especially struggled to handle the basketball.
Ingram committed eight turnovers through the first three quarters, and had his worst game of the season, scoring eight points. The Hornets scored 37 third-quarter points and briefly held a lead late in the period. Jose Alvarado made a long three-pointer as time expired to tie the game at 76 with one quarter to go. Veteran CJ McCollum started the final period with eight points to push the Pels lead out to seven.
Dec 15, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Terry Rozier (3) drives to the basket past New Orleans Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III (25) during the first quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports
Charlotte continued to battle back, thanks to guard Terry Rozier. The veteran guard has historically played well against the Pelicans, scoring a career-high 43 points against New Orleans in 2021. Rozier scored 30 points on Friday, including a big three-point shot to cut the Pels lead down to three with less than a minute left in the game. New Orleans made 5/6 free throws in the final 30 seconds to ice the game away.
Valanciunas finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds. Williamson, in his return from injury, had a double-double on the night with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The victory moves the Pelicans to 6-7 on the road, and they will have a great chance to get even on the road. They head to San Antonio on Sunday to play the woeful Spurs for a matinee game.
