Pelicans at Nets
The depleted New Orleans Pelicans have not given up on the season and are using the remaining games to take a look at some players that would not have gotten a chance with a fully healthy roster. The Brooklyn Nets, who host the Pelicans on Sunday, are attempting something similar but don’t have the luxury of a franchise cornerstone like Anthony Davis or an early pick in the upcoming draft.
New Orleans was without Davis (knee, shoulder), Ryan Anderson (sports hernia), Tyreke Evans (knee), Jrue Holiday (orbital fracture), Norris Cole (back) and Alonzo Gee (quad) on Thursday and used the opportunity to get a long look at newcomers like Tim Frazier, Jordan Hamilton and James Ennis. The three have played a combined 15 games with the Pelicans and totaled 42 points in Thursday’s 101-95 home win over the Denver Nuggets. The Nets have several of their own players trying to establish themselves in the NBA but are having a more difficult time generating wins. Thomas Robinson and Sean Kilpatrick each had strong games in expanded roles on Friday but Brooklyn suffered its fourth straight loss with a 105-91 setback at the New York Knicks.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (28-47): Hamilton, Frazier and Ennis combined to go 8-of-15 from 3-point range in Thursday’s win while each playing at least 29 minutes. “There is a closeness within this group, when you get guys trying to establish themselves in this league and are trying to find a way,” New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. “When you put them all out there together, there is a bond there, where they feel like they have to help each other.” That help came in the form of eight assists from Frazier, who is averaging 5.2 assists in nine games since joining the team.
ABOUT THE NETS (21-55): Brooklyn’s first-round draft pick, which figures to be in the top five, belongs to the Boston Celtics as part of the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett trade, so the team is instead trying to turn over some gems that were missed by other teams. Kilpatrick is with his third organization since the preseason but seems to have found a place as a scorer off the bench for the Nets and scored 17 on Friday to reach double figures for the 13th time in 16 games since joining the team. Robinson is a former No. 5 overall pick in 2012 but is already with his fifth organization and has been strong with three straight double-doubles since earning an expanded role with Brooklyn.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pelicans PG Toney Douglas has scored in double figures in each of the last 10 games and added 10 assists on Thursday for his first double-double since Mar. 18, 2011.
2. Nets G Wayne Ellington is 3-of-21 from the field, including 1-of-9 from 3-point range, in the last two games.
3. New Orleans grabbed a 105-103 home win over Brooklyn on Jan. 30 behind big games from Holiday (26 points), Anderson (24) and Davis (20).