The Pelicans shot themselves in the foot repeatedly on Friday night as the Nuggets escaped New Orleans with a 113-106 win.
The Good: Josh Hart
On a night when a lot of Pelicans seemed to lack energy, Josh Hart was the outlier. He finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds off the bench and accounted for almost one-third of New Orleans’ 43 total rebounds.
His three-point play late in the game exemplified his night as he corralled a save attempt from Nikola Jokic under the Pelicans basket, took one dribble and converted a reverse layup while being fouled. The basket and free throw cut the lead to five but the Pelicans could not get the stops needed down the stretch.
Honorable Mentions: Zion Williamson, Michael Porter Jr.
The Bad: Turnovers and rebounds
When it came to finishing off defensive series with a rebound or taking care of the ball, the Pelicans did everything they could to keep the Nuggets in the game.
As dramatic as the shooting percentages were on the night, the second-chance points and turnovers were equally dramatic. Denver’s 35 second-chance points were tied for the most by any team in any game this season.
The Pelicans also committed 17 turnovers that turned into 13 Nugget points while Denver only had 11 turnovers on the night.
Honorable mentions: Free throw shooting
The Ball: Another quiet night
Lonzo Ball again took a backseat to Williamson and Brandon Ingram. He finished 3-for-9 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc, scoring just nine points. He added six assists and four rebounds with a steal in 35 minutes of action.
