LOS ANGELES, NOV 30 (US): Jonas Valanzenas scored 29 of his career highs in an impressive first half, and the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Los Angeles Clippers for the second time this month, 123-104 Monday night. .
New Orleans led by 21 points in the first half with an exceptional effort from Valanzenas, the 10-year Lithuanian veteran in his first season with the Pelicans. The 6-foot-11 Valančiūnas hit seven three-pointers without a miss in the first inning much to the delight of his teammates and even himself.
“The guys were calling him Dirk Valanginas,” New Orleans coach Willie Greene said with a smile.
Valančiūnas wasn’t quite ready to call himself the next Dirk Nowitzki, even if he looked like cool Dallas at times, the AP reports.
“Everyone wants to be him,” Valančinas said. “He’s one of the greatest players in the game, but I still have to work a lot to be like him.”
Valančiūnas, who surpassed a career high of 3 seconds in the first half alone, had dropped 26 points and 13 rebounds in Los Angeles 10 days earlier in the Pelicans’ 94-81 win in New Orleans. He added 15 rebounds for his prolific scoring in the rematch.
“He changed the game for us tonight,” said Brandon Ingram, who scored 27 points for New Orleans. “He came out with a big card and looked like he was playing loose. It was the head of the snake in everything we did.”
The Green and the Pelicans coaching staff is constantly encouraging more long-range shots from Valančiūnas, who hasn’t made a single pointer in the first five years of his NBA career in Toronto. Valančiūnas has added the shot to his arsenal through years of hard work, yet he remains reluctant to unleash his jersey even though he knows it improves the spacing between the pelicans and the movement of the ball.
A night like this is a blessing on his self-confidence.
“I feel so relaxed when I see them come in,” Valančinas said. “I am not comfortable when they are not going. It was just a team effort. Working with the players, opening me up, running plays so it is a five guys effort on the field.”
Paul George scored 27 points and Reggie Jackson 19 points for the Clippers, who lost three of four and six of nine after seven straight wins.
“We couldn’t stop them tonight,” Clippers coach Tyrone Lu said. “We deserved a bad defensive match…but they got anything they wanted, and we couldn’t play with any attacking rhythm.”
George closed the margin to eight halfway through the fourth, but Ingram scored eight points in the quarter and led a 17-8 run to put him away from New Orleans. George lamented the 47-35 payback feature for the Pelicans.
“Every team, they’re going to crush (the boards) against us,” said George. “That’s honestly our kryptonite. Every team goes towards that, sending guys into the glass. They just think they can do it and there’s no penalty for that because we haven’t been a great transition team once we get the rebounds. We’ll see that every night.”
Herbert Jones added 16 points for the Pelicans, who recovered from their second worst loss of the season in Utah last Saturday to end their three-game run with two victories.
The Pelicans won three out of four, doubling their total wins of the season in the past six days after starting 3-16 without injury to Zion Williamson. Their star was released for a full return to basketball activities, spurring New Orleans’ hopes of changing its season.
The Clippers (11-10) are still without Kawhi Leonard anytime soon, and they struggle to keep up with competition at the Western Conference.
Hint
Pelicans: Josh Hart scored 12 rebounds and nine assists, but only four points in a 1-for-9 shootout. … New Orleans committed to just eight spins.
Clippers: Marcus Morris got some rest after playing on Sunday. Amir Kofi got nine points as he started in place of the veteran. …Nicolas Batum missed his fifth game in a row. He is a member of the NBA’s Health and Safety Protocol.
beIN Los Angeles
Ingram spent his first three seasons with the Lakers before going to New Orleans in a popular trade for Anthony Davis, and he still knows many of the Staples Center employees.
It’s always fun to be back here,” Ingram said. “I definitely felt it tonight with Clippers fans. You heard my name a lot tonight, and it felt so good.”
the following
The Pelicans: The Dallas hosts the Mavericks on Wednesday.
Clippers: Host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.