The New Orleans Pelicans improve to 4-2 on the season defeating the struggling Toronto Raptors 120-116 in the Saturday night showdown. The Pelicans have defeated the Raptors in both of their games, completing the season sweep on the 2019 NBA Champions.
The Pelicans have now moved into 4th place in the Western Conference and are looking like a legitimate playoff team. Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram have been playing all-star caliber basketball while the Pelicans supporting cast has shown that they are capable of contributing at a high level as well.
In the Pelicans game against the Raptors, it wasn't Williamson or Ingram who got all the credit post game, despite their impressive efforts. It was recently acquired guard, Eric Bledsoe, and former number two overall pick, Lonzo Ball.
SVG: "To have your two starting guards play 66 minutes with no turnovers against that team … is phenomenal"
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) January 3, 2021
Bledsoe and Ball combined for 66 minutes and zero turnovers. That kind of production for your backcourt will almost always lead to a win in the NBA, especially against a defensively sound team like the Toronto Raptors.
Bledsoe was a major factor in this game with 19 points to go along with 10 assists, going 4/6 from three. Lonzo wasn't as present on the box score, but played lockdown defense and even recorded a couple of blocks.
The Pelicans are one of the youngest teams in the NBA, so turnovers are expected. The fact that this team's primary ball handlers can have 14 total assists and no turnovers in a tightly contested matchup against a playoff team speaks volumes for the Pelicans potential.
The Pelicans are playoff bound if this kind of high-level basketball can be replicated on a consistent basis.
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