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Andrew LopezESPN
Gazing a double-digit deficit and watching their dwindling playoff hopes fade away late within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night time, the New Orleans Pelicans leaned on Zion Williamson, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram to maintain them combating.
Trailing by 10 with below 4 minutes left, the Pelicans used a 14-Four run to drive additional time after which Williamson scored seven of his game-high 37 factors within the remaining interval to guide the Pelicans to a 140-136 win.
A loss Saturday would have put the Pelicans 4 video games again of the play-in match with eight video games to go. As an alternative, they’re three again heading into Monday night time’s showdown in opposition to the Golden State Warriors, who at present maintain the eighth seed.
“I believe it provides us nice momentum,” mentioned Williamson, who added 9 rebounds and eight assists. “We obtained the win. Within the locker room, that is all we care about. We obtained the win and it permits us to return residence with nice momentum and hopefully we are able to carry it.”
Ball had a career-high 33 factors, tied a profession finest with eight Three-pointers and added 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Based on Elias Sports activities Bureau analysis, Williamson and Ball turned simply the fifth set of teammates in NBA historical past to every have not less than 30 factors, eight rebounds and eight assists in a recreation.
“Plenty of guys on this group that simply obtained that combat in them, that canine in them,” Ball mentioned. “It got here out tonight, and we ended up going into additional time with a great cease by Z. After which he carried us in OT and we got here out with the win.”
Down the stretch, Ingram additionally stepped up on what was in any other case a cold-shooting night time (Four-of-17). Ingram drew back-to-back fouls simply earlier than the two-minute mark that lower the result in 4 and fouled out Jaden McDaniels within the course of.
After a Willy Hernangomez putback tied the rating with 21.9 seconds to go, Williamson helped drive a foul Three-point try by D’Angelo Russell to ship the sport to an additional session.
It was a consequence the Pelicans hoped they may have seen Wednesday night time when additionally they got here again from a late deficit to virtually drive additional time — though a no-call on a dunk try by Williamson led to a two-point win by the Denver Nuggets.
This time, Williamson took over within the further interval and fouled out Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid on back-to-back performs to stretch the Pelicans’ result in six with 1:38 to go and put New Orleans in management.
“We did not get the consequence we needed within the Denver recreation, however we stored combating ’til the very finish,” Williamson mentioned. “That is the mindset now we have to have going into these remaining [eight] video games. Should take it one recreation at a time and play till the ultimate buzzer.”
Based on ESPN Stats and Data, groups had been 7-637 getting into Saturday when trailing by 10 factors within the remaining 4 minutes of regulation. New Orleans’ win was victory No. eight.
With the win within the bag, the Pelicans can shift their full consideration to the Warriors on Monday. Their process — attempting to take down Stephen Curry and firm thrice within the remaining eight video games.
“Our destiny will not be in no one else’s fingers. It is on us to go on the market and win,” Williamson mentioned. “You may’t ask for nothing higher than that for the state of affairs we’re at present in. The destiny is in our fingers, and we simply gotta make it occur.”
The Pelicans (29-35) are three video games behind each the Warriors (32-32) and the Spurs (31-31), however with San Antonio proudly owning the regular-season tiebreaker over New Orleans and the three video games left in opposition to Golden State, successful in opposition to the Warriors creates probably the most viable path to the playoffs.
Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy mentioned the group has talked about viewing every of its remaining video games as its “largest recreation of the yr.”
“That is how it’s important to strategy it as a result of we will not afford very many losses,” Van Gundy mentioned. “Clearly we’re combating with Golden State, so everyone will concentrate on that. However you give away a recreation tonight, it simply will get additional and additional out of attain.”
For New Orleans, the hope is among the momentum from Saturday’s comeback can carry into Monday’s contest.
“[We’re] going into Monday with a must-win mentality,” Ball mentioned. “We’re not likely targeted on Tuesday. We gotta take it one recreation at a time. We will not look forward. We’ve to place all our concentrate on that first recreation Monday and are available out with a win and go from there.
“It helps quite a bit that our future is in our fingers. We do not have to fret about anyone else. It is all on us. We’ve three video games in opposition to them. It will not be simple in any respect. We all know it is a robust process. But it surely’s doable. And that is all we are able to ask for is an opportunity. So we’ll are available Monday able to go.”