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In-season tournament result a reminder of Pelicans' potential

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) reacts after defeating the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

In-season tournament quarterfinal result a reminder of Pelicans' potential

By Eric Smithling | Last updated 12/5/23

The Pelicans used the quarterfinals of the NBA's inaugural in-season tournament to reintroduce themselves.

New Orleans (12-10, eighth in Western Conference) defeated Sacramento (11-8, fifth in Western Conference) 127-117 on Monday night to advance to the semifinals in Las Vegas.

The Pelicans' depth was on full display in the win, with high-energy players off the bench, including guards Jose Alvarado, Naji Marshall and forward Trey Murphy III, helping fuel an early comeback from a 15-point deficit before stars Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson got going in the second half.

Ingram led the team with 30 points while Williamson had a quiet game overall with only 10 points, eight of which came after the intermission.

On Tuesday's edition of "The Pat McAfee Show," ESPN basketball analyst Tim Legler suggested the Pelicans "might be the deepest team in the Western Conference." It's hard to argue that point.

"The New Orleans Pelicans might be the deepest team in the Western Conference..

They're one of the most interesting teams in the league and the question is consistency"@LegsESPN #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/7L7KBgyFR5
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 5, 2023

They have three All-Star-level talents (C.J. McCollum, Ingram and Williamson), a Defensive Player of the Year candidate (Herb Jones), a three-point sniper (Murphy III) and scrappy second-unit guys like Alvarado and Marshall.

Center Jonas Valanciunas is an underrated big while young guards Dyson Daniels and Jordan Hawkins give New Orleans even more length on the perimeter. The 6-foot-5 Hawkins is a three-point specialist while Daniels, at 6-foot-7, has earned playing time with his defensive awareness. This season, he leads the NBA in deflections (73).

The team is the healthiest it has been all season but is still without backup center Larry Nance Jr. (aggravated rib fracture) and forward Matt Ryan (elbow), players who round out a team as deep as any in the West.

That depth will make New Orleans a tough out during the rest of the in-season tournament. If all the pieces remain healthy, the Pelicans could even be a major factor during the postseason tournament.

Williamson's injury history, in particular, has given pause to New Orleans being viewed as a legitimate contender. Ingram also missed time last season, and McCollum was inactive for 11 games this season while recovering from a collapsed lung.

Those various injuries forced others to take on bigger roles the past two seasons, and the Pels are starting to be rewarded for it.

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