Pelicans forge 3-game win streak after beating Bulls with balanced attack

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Four starters for the Pelicans scored in double-figures as they rolled out a balanced offensive attack against yo beat the Bulls 124-110 at home in the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday (Nov. 16) night.

Wednesday’s win is also the Pels’ third straight, their first win streak of the season as they improve to 9-6 with a 5-2 home record.

Andrew Lopez of ESPN reports that this is also the first time the Pelicans have been three games over .500 since Nov. 19, 2018, hopefully signaling a shift in the direction of New Orleans’s NBA franchise.

The Pelicans were without their leading scorer Zion Williamson (23.3 ppg) for the second consecutive game as he’s listed as day-to-day with a foot contusion. However, that did not slow down the rotations on the floor which totaled 30 assists as a team for the night.

Trey Murphy, who got the start in place of Zion, nailed five of his total six 3-point attempts and impressed with two posterizing dunks in the game. He finished his night with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Center Jonas Valanciunas, who scored 22 and grabbed 7 boards, joked that Murphy had to steal his rebounds to earn his first career double-double.

“He’s improved big time,” Valanciunas said. “He’s working hard. In the gym all the time — talented, humble.”

Murphy, who was drafted out of Virginia, told ESPN postgame that he dedicated the game to the three football players that were recently fatally shot. He said that he was friends with Lavel Davis Jr., one of the victims that died on campus Sunday night.

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Spacing was better for the Pelicans overall Wednesday. Not known as a high-volume 3-point shooting team, the Pels nailed 10 of their 19 attempted shots beyond the arc in the first half to post a 58-53 lead after the first half.

C.J. McCollum led the Pels with a second straight efficient performance with 23 points and 8 assists. Brandon Ingram scored 16 with 9 assists and Jose Alvarado, off the bench, was the fifth Pelican to score in double figures with 13.

DeMar DeRozan led the way for Chicago with 28 points and Zach LaVine had 25.

Pelicans return to action in the Smoothie King Center Friday where they will tip off with the Boston Celtics at 7:30 p.m.

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