The New Orleans Pelicans were pretty upset to have collapsed on the final day of the regular season to go from the six seed and a guaranteed playoff spot to the seventh seed and having to fight to earn a playoff spot through the Play-In Tournament. New Orleans put up a good fight against the Los Angeles Lakers, but they suffered a 110-106 loss, setting them up for a battle with the Sacramento Kings for the eight seed in the West.
Zion Williamson led the way for the Pels in this one with a 40-point performance, but he suffered a hamstring injury that will prevent him from suiting up against the Kings, so New Orleans will need guys like Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum to step up if they intend on earning a playoff spot. Both Ingram and McCollum struggled against LA, and it's safe to say they can't afford that happening again if they want to win.
On the other side of this matchup, Sacramento is riding high after their 24-point demolition of the Golden State Warriors in their first Play-In matchup, so momentum is definitely on their side right now. New Orleans had Sacramento's number this year, as they beat them in all five of their regular season meetings, but without Williamson on the floor in this do-or-die game, none of that will matter.
So with all of that in mind, here are three bold predictions for the Pelicans in their knockout game against the Kings.
Trey Murphy explodes for 30+ points
With Ingram still not in tiptop shape after his return from a left knee contusion, it is difficult to expect him to perform at a superstar level. It was evident in the Lakers contest that his rhythm and confidence is still not where it should be, so Trey Murphy III must take charge and fire up some shots from long distance. Murphy is a superb marksman who can easily make six or seven threes in one outing if he gets going.
Murphy's offensive production will be needed against the Kings because it is a guarantee that they will push the pace and try to make it a high scoring contest. Murphy isn't limited to just being a perimeter shooter either, as he's also expanded his repertoire by converting on floaters and unleashing his incredible leaping ability for some big dunks. If he can put it all together in this big game, the end result will be a 30-point performance.
Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis are limited to less than 20 points
Despite their abysmal offensive showing against Los Angeles, New Orleans' defense was stellar as LeBron James and Anthony Davis both struggled to hit their shots. As a result, the Pelicans will likely utilize their strengths on that end of the floor for their winner-take-all game against the Kings. Keegan Murray and Keon Ellis were the two guys who played a big role in sending the Warriors packing, but that will not be the case against the Pelicans.
New Orleans has more size and versatility on the defensive end, and that will help them avoid leaving ancillary pieces like Murray and Ellis wide open at the perimeter. Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox will likely record their usual All-Star-caliber numbers, so it will be difficult to contain their production. So with that in mind, head coach Willie Green must focus his schemes on limiting Murray and Ellis' abilities to get hot from behind the arc.
CJ McCollum bounces back for at least 25+ points
McCollum is a veteran who has quite a bit of experience playing on the biggest stages when the lights are at their brightest, so it is almost a guarantee that he will bounce back from his horrendous showing against the Lakers. The Kings defense is not as good as the Lakers, meaning he will have opportunities to attack Fox one-on-one or force the bigs to switch onto him.
McCollum was on an elite shooting tear before the Play-In Tournament, so if he can find his way back to that form, he should have a big game in store for him. Some may have the Pelicans as underdogs because of Williamson's injury, but McCollum will be the key cog that will propel them into the playoffs.
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