Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James had a great third quarter, including the massive posterization of Pelicans forward Nicolo Melli.
The Los Angeles Lakers started off slow through the first two and a half quarters of Friday night’s ESPN showdown against Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans, but from the middle of the second quarter on, it was all Lakers as the defense turned into offense. However, the biggest play of the game, or at least the most memorable one from LeBron James during the Lakers run of dominance in the middle of the game, came on from hitting the offensive glass.
During the third quarter of Friday’s game, which was a 27-16 domination by the Lakers after trailing by one at halftime. The Pelicans led by as many as 15 in the first half before the Lakers took control, punctuated by LeBron’s emphatic slam on Melli following a Kyle Kuzma miss.
Unfortunately for Melli, he didn’t box out and his attempt to get the rebound was moot as the King came soaring in. Even at 36 years old, James is still making some of the best plays at the rim we see on a nightly basis. The Lakers lead 84-74 after the third quarter.
Nicolo Melli and Frank Jackson’s defensive sparks in the third quarter helped the Pelicans stay alive in the playoff hunt on Friday with a 118-107 win over Washington.
For perhaps the first time in the bubble, the New Orleans Pelicans played with the desperation of a team clinging to its playoff lives. All it took was a halftime deficit to the lowly Wizards and a spark from an unlikely source.
Nicolo Melli, a 29-year old “rookie,” was signed by the Pelicans for his shooting. On Friday, it was his defense that changed the tide. Melli and fellow reserve Frank Jackson turned up the intensity on Washington and the result was a big third quarter for the Pelicans that turned into a 118-107 win.
âI think it was the difference in the game,” head coach Alvin Gentry said of Jackson and Melli’s defense. “(Assistant coach) Fred Vinson said right from the start…one of the things that we wanted to get back to is we wanted to get back to being aggressive defensively, attacking the screen and rolls, being into the ball, having good weakside help. I thought that we did that tonight.
“I thought that we did that in the third quarter. The first five minutes, we always talk about how important that is and I thought we did a good job with that.â
Melli checked in at the 7:48 mark in the third period with the Pelicans trailing 72-65. By the time he checked out 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, New Orleans led 97-85 and had grabbed control of the game.
It was Melli and Jackson that started picking up the Wizard guards 94 feet from the basket, slowing their offense down to a slog. New Orleans immediately went on an 11-2 run upon Melli’s insertion, a run that included a three-pointer from the Italian forward after he entered the game having hit just one of his 14 attempts from range inside the bubble.
âI think we just needed a little bit of energy,” Melli said. “I think Frank and I, we brought it to the team and then of course Josh (Hart) but Josh always brings to the team. We just needed to pick up Washington from their baseline and we did it and I think we did a pretty good job. We needed this win. This was the most important thing, no matter how, no matter what. And we did it.â
Melli’s three-pointer to put the Pelicans up 83-76 with 3:43 left capped off a spurt that saw him score eight of the team’s 12 points in a span of just over two minutes. More impressively, he recorded three blocks as New Orleans, who entered the night with just seven blocks in total inside the bubble, finished with eight against the Wizards.
Jackson, meanwhile, continued creating havoc for the Wizards’ undermanned backcourt. Despite not being credited with a steal on the night, Jackson’s impact on the game was felt as his plus-minus of +30 in 20 minutes was best on the team and just the 12th time this season a player has accomplished that feat, per ESPN Stats & Info.
âI just think we were aggressive, man,” Jackson said. “I think we were who we were, who we are as a team, who we try to play as. When we apply the pressure and get up into people and pick them up, it causes problems so I think we did a good job.â
Melli and Jackson helped the Pelicans save face after a first half that looked all too familiar. The Wizards shot 51.2% from the field and hit seven of their 13 long-range attempts. Only the Pelicans shooting twice as many free throws helped them stay within two points at the break at 56-54.
And as Melli and Jackson set the tone in the third quarter, it was Jrue Holiday that picked up the load and carried it the rest of the way. The veteran guard missed just one shot in the second half as he finished with a game-high 28 points.
âI think we controlled (the game) a little more defensively,” Holiday said, “picking up full-court, being able to get them down in the clock and when theyâre trying to get into their play, thereâs 14, 12 seconds left on the shot clock which benefits us. I think just doing that in the third quarter and continuing doing that throughout the second half really helped us get back into the game and then push the lead.â
âWe just needed to do something because we were down two at halftime and we had to win this game,” Melli added. “It was just a matter of energy, I think. A rookie has to bring energy so thatâs what I did. I think we just need a little bit more energy. We know how to play defense. We just need to go back and play with a lot of energy. Thatâs what we did in the second half and you saw the result.â
Seven Pelicans finished in double figures in scoring with Brandon Ingram overcoming a poor shooting night to finish with 17. JJ Redick, who also shot just 3-of-11 from deep, finished with 15 and Derrick Favors scored eight of his 12 points in the second half. Jackson (13), Melli (10) and Josh Hart (10) contributed to the Pelicans’ bench outscoring Washington’s 44-17.
New Orleans’ playoff hopes are still mathematically alive, though only barely. Memphis’ win on Friday further damaged New Orleans’ chances as they now sit 2.5 games out of the eighth seed and 1.5 games out of the ninth seed with three games left.
Sunday’s showdown with San Antonio, who is just a half-game ahead of the Pelicans, will prove to be the do-or-die moment for New Orleans in the bubble. But Friday’s glimpse of a Pelicans side that looked the closest it has to its pre-bubble selves could prove to be a turning point for the final three games.
The New Orleans Pelicans turned around a slow first half with strong defensive showing in the third quarter to down the Washington Wizards, 118-107.
The New Orleans Pelicans turned around a slow first half with strong defensive showing in the third quarter to down the Washington Wizards, 118-107.
Jrue Holiday had a team-high 28 points on 11-of-16 shooting but it was the Pelicans’ bench, which scored 44 points, that pushed New Orleans to a victory.
The Good: Second-half defense
After a slow start to the game, the Pelicans came out in the third quarter and turned to a full-court defense to turn the game around. The result was a huge run that turned a halftime deficit into a double-digit lead.
New Orleans outscored Washington 37-25 in the third period and grabbed control of the game by completely derailed the Wizards’ offense. Interestingly, it was the Pelicans bench that made the biggest impact as Frank Jackson and Nicolo Melli provided the biggest sparks. Jackson finished with 13 points and had a team-best plus-minus of +30 in 20 minutes and Melli had 10 points and was second in plus-minus at +18.
The third quarter is what turned another potential frustrating and embarrassing loss to a double-digit win.
Honorable mentions: Jrue Holiday, Josh Hart, Derrick Favors’ second half
While Zion Williamson has received much of the credit, a different Pelicans big man in Derrick Favors has been just as vital this season.
Zion Williamson has received ample credit for being the spark that helped turn the New Orleans Pelicans from a team destined for another high lottery pick to a legitimate playoff contender. And while all of that praise is warranted, his presence hasn’t been the only thing that has been a factor in the Pelicans’ turn around.
A different big man on New Orleans’ roster, Derrick Favors, has played a vital role on the court this season without quite as much fanfare. His extended absence in November and December due to the passing of his mother and a back injury coincided with the start of the team’s 13-game losing streak.
The first turning point for the Pelicans came around the holidays when New Orleans picked up four-straight wins over Portland, Denver, Indiana and Houston in succession. During his media availability on Friday, Nicolo Melli was asked about that stretch and what played into that turning point.
“I donât want to give a lot of pressure on one guy, but I think D-Fav (Derrick Favors) was healthy finally, and heâs our anchor on defense and on offense. I think heâs the one who turned around everything. Then of course, BI (Brandon Ingram), Lonzo (Ball), JJ (Redick), Jrue (Holiday), everybody stepped up, and then of course Z (Zion Williamson) came back, but I think D-Fav was our key.â
Without Favors this season, the Pelicans are just 6-13. Overall, the team is 22-23 with him in the lineup. Since his return in December, New Orleans is 20-16 when he plays. And the advanced stats back up his importance to the team.
With Favors on the court, the Pelicans have a net rating of +5.8 and a defensive rating of 107.4. When he’s off the court, the net rating drops to -4.4 and the defensive rating jumps to 112.2.
The stats back up the case for Favors being a critical part of the team. And as the Pelicans enter a vital eight-game stretch with a spot in the playoffs on the line, Favors will figure to be as important as ever.
Pelicans rookie Nicolo Melli hilariously spilled the beans that Redick bailed on playing golf with him on a recent day off.
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New Orleans Pelicans players J.J. Redick and rookie Nicolo Melli made plans on a recent day off to hit the golf course but the 14-year veteran hilariously left his teammate high and dry.
The NBA has created several activities that players can partake in inside of the bubble. Among the amenities, players can take advantage of the golf courses on-site at the Walt Disney World Resort, which has become a popular choice to kill some time.
Redick has been seen previously at the golf course since arriving last week but, as Melli detailed on Thursday, he apparently did not want to go golfing this time.
Thanks to JJ, who stood me up, I woke up very early in the morning because we were supposed to go play golf. He texted me that he didn’t want to go anymore but I still set the alarm very early so I woke up very early with nothing to do. I read a book, went to the pool and had some therapy.
Despite spurning Melli recently, the two have apparently reconciled things as Redick posted on Friday morning that he was making up for standing him up with Melli’s first golf lesson.
Making up for it right now with Nicoâs first playing lesson. (No idea why his first lesson is from me đđđ) https://t.co/WCYu0E46Hr
The NBA’s shifting schedule may impact free agency since a contractual issue may block overseas players from signing with an NBA team.
The NBAâs biggest priority at the moment is figuring out whether they can resume their season and crown a 2020 champion. However, the NBAâs shifting schedule has a wide-ranging impact that creates some unintended consequences.Â
For example, when the NBA schedule is altered, certain deadlines in playersâ contracts must be adjusted as well. While NBA contracts will certainly be updated to account for the leagueâs new schedule, many agents who represent overseas players are concerned that international teams wonât be so understanding and flexible when it comes to modifying contract language.
Some overseas players have an NBA-buyout clause in their contract (also known as an NBA-out) that allows them to leave their international team if they get an offer from an NBA franchise. Some NBA-outs are monetary buyouts, but many of these buyouts give players a certain date in which they are allowed to test the free-agent market and secure an NBA offer.Â
âEvery year, there are a number of overseas players who exercise their buyout clause to sign with an NBA team, and the deadline for those buyout clauses is normally between July 10 and July 20,â one international agent said. âThat way, itâs during the free-agency period and the player has the option of participating in Summer League beforehand to see if an NBA team is going to offer him a guaranteed deal or a two-way contract.â
If the NBA is able to resume the season (as is being discussed), the leagueâs free agency period likely wouldnât start until September or October. If overseas teams refuse to adjust their contracts, a player with an NBA-buyout deadline in July wouldnât be able to sign with an NBA team this offseason. The earliest that theyâd be able to exercise their buyout clause and sign with an NBA team would be July of 2021.
âWeâre in limbo because the dates no longer match the NBAâs schedule,â one agent said. âIt seems like the NBA doesnât understand that moving free agency by several months will prevent most overseas players from coming over to the NBA because their contract only allows them to exercise their buyout clause in July.â
Also, some NBA-buyout clauses âare based on a certain number of days after the teamâs last game,â according to another agent. These could present some unique challenges as well.
Some agents are hopeful that logic will prevail and the involved parties will be able to adjust the contract language without any trouble.
âFIBA released some overarching guidelines and one of them is that they expect teams and players to engage in what they call âgood-faith negotiationsâ on these kinds of topics,â one agent said. âTheyâre basically encouraging teams and players to compromise and figure these things out. They donât want to have to resolve a thousand disputes like this. Letâs say a player had an NBA buyout set for July 15, which is 15 days after the start of free agency. The logical argument is that the new buyout date should still be 15 days after the start of free agency. So, if NBA free agency begins on October 1, the new buyout date should be October 15. The hope is that a lot of these situations can be sorted out logically.â
However, some agents believe that certain overseas teams will try to take advantage of this situation and use this loophole to keep their best players under contract internationally for one more season.
Real Madrid forward Rudy Fernandez
Euroleague officials recently canceled their 2019-20 season and the league is reportedly planning to start the 2020-21 season on October 1. Well, if the NBAâs free-agency period doesnât start until late September or early October, that puts Euroleague teams in a very difficult position. While itâs easy to say that moving a playerâs NBA-buyout clause to October 15 is a logical compromise, that means the Euroleague team would be losing one of their best players after the start of the season (when itâs extremely difficult to replace that player). This is why certain Euroleague teams may put up a fight when it comes to moving the buyout deadline.Â
Thereâs also some concern that FIBA wonât get involved in these disputes since teams that refuse to change this deadline are technically honoring the contract and not breaking any rules.
âFIBA has the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal, which is their court for disputes,â one international agent said. âBut in this case, you can’t go to FIBAâs court to ask them to change the date of the buyout because itâs not like the team is doing anything wrong (such as not permitting players to exercise the clause). The team can just refuse to change the buyout date and say, âWell, itâs not our fault!â I can see overseas teams taking advantage of this.â
Even if FIBA does want to get involved, several agents pointed out that it would likely be very difficult for them to resolve these disputes since there are many different leagues (in many different countries) under the FIBA umbrella. They would have to handle each of these disagreements on a case-by-case basis, which is much easier said than done.
So, what does this mean for the NBA? Each year, there are a number of players who sign with NBA teams after playing overseas the previous year (recent examples include Shane Larkin, Malcolm Delaney, Brad Wanamaker and Nicolo Melli among others). This year, certain NBA-ready players who would otherwise make that leap may not be able to exercise their NBA-out. That means some significant free agents may be off the market.Â
Boston Celtics guard Brad Wanamaker
It could also mean that the summer of 2021 features more overseas talent than usual since it would essentially have two offseasonsâ worth of free agents who are looking to exercise their NBA-out.
âThe NBA is focused on so many other things right now, so I think this just slipped their mind,â one international agent said. âBut this could have a big impact on teams that are targeting overseas players.â
For players who have a monetary buyout (and no specific deadline), their overseas team could still be put in a tough position due to the NBAâs altered schedule. If an NBA team is willing to pay the buyout and sign the player during free agency in, say, October, the overseas team would be losing their star midseason.Â
Some international draft prospects have buyouts too, so NBA teams will need to do their due diligence and figure out the details of each prospectâs buyout clause (such as what it would cost to buy them out and whether thereâs a deadline to do so).Â
One other hurdle for NBA hopefuls who played overseas last season: Several NBA agents believe there wonât be a 2020 Summer League and thatâs where these players typically showcase their development in hopes of earning a guaranteed contract or a two-way deal. However, that may not be a possibility this year.
Multiple agents said they believe the event will be cancelled because it would be a logistical nightmare given the circumstances. Also, there’s too much risk to justify a series of exhibition games. As one agent put it:Â “The downside is way greater than the upside.”
Even if the NBA did find a way to have a 2020 Summer League, it couldnât start until September or October. By then, many overseas leagues would have already wrapped up their free-agency period, meaning most fringe players wouldâve already signed with a team overseas and wouldnât be able to participate in Summer League.
âIf Summer League isnât until September or October, everyone would just skip it and take a guaranteed deal with an overseas team instead,â one agent said. âWho is going to jeopardize a guaranteed deal for the entire season just to play in the Summer League for two weeks?â
Considering the few amount of games played with the two, it’s the sign of a truly special connection that they’ve been able to adapt to one another on the fly so quickly. Not only has it caught the attention of the fans but also the Pelicans’ executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin.
On Saturday, Griffin took part in the Pelicans Playback social show while watching New Orleans Christmas Day win against the Nuggets and had this to say on Ball and Williamson.
âA big part of it is the chemistry you see with Lonzo and Zion. They have a special connection. I think Nicolo Melli getting more minutes, and him starting to become a key part of the rotation has been essential as well. Those three guys work incredibly well as a unit. Zion gives us another player who can create vertical thrust in the offense, and Lonzo can pick defenses apart with his passing.â
Ball and Williamson continue to have one of the highest net ratings in the league since the latter’s debut. Of duos to have played at least 400 minutes together since Jan. 22, Ball and Williamson are fourth in net rating at 15.2 with two of the three pairings ahead of them being fellow Pelicans.
Expanded to three players to include Nicolo Melli and the rating isn’t quite as gaudy but still a positive at 2.6. The trio have excelled together in the last nearly two months of the season and had set the Pelicans up for a great run at the playoffs that may or may not still come.
Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the latest week of the 2019-20 NBA season.
With the NBA gearing up for the stretch run, several teams will be attempting to position themselves for the postseason and some will be looking toward the future.
The rookies around the league will be looking to finish out the season on a high note as they look ahead to Year 2 in the NBA. Several players are continuing their strong overall play while others are just looking to find some consistency.
No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson has played exceptionally since debuting last month as he has scored at least 20 points in nine consecutive games. As a result of his recent play, Williamson finds himself atop the latest power rankings.
Hunter has turned in arguably his best month of the season in February.
The fourth overall pick is averaging 13.7 points in seven games during the month and is shooting 45.5% (15-of-33) from 3-point range. He is averaging 17 points per game over his last three outings and is coming off of a 22-point performance on Monday. Hunter continues to show off his skillset each night he steps onto the court and has given the team plenty of promise for the future.
Since the calendar flipped over to 2020, Nicolo Melli has had the best shooting percentage among all players in the NBA.
Since the calendar flipped over to 2020, there has been no player better at shooting 3-pointers than New Orleans Pelicans rookie Nicolo Melli.
As Andrew Lopez of ESPN noted, Melli is converting on 49.3% of his shots from beyond the arc, the best percentage in the NBA among players attempting at least three 3-pointers in at least 10 games. Melli has gone 35-of-71 over that time frame.
With Zion Williamson demanding quite a bit of attention on the floor, that has allowed others around him to have open looks with Melli benefitting in that role. After arriving from the EuroLeague this season, Melli was thought to give the Pelicans a big man presence that can shoot from deep and he has proven that so far.
Since Jan. 1, Nicolo Melli leads the NBA in three-point percentage at 49.3 percent among players who shoot at least three 3s a game and who have played in at least 10 games.
Melli is averaging 6.6 points and 2.9 rebounds in 45 games played this season for the Pelicans and was recently named as an injury replacement for Deandre Ayton in the NBA Rising Stars Game over All-Star Weekend.
Melli has certainly given the Pelicans some shooting off of the bench and his addition has proven to be valuable. The Pelicans are the midst of a playoff battle and will need all the help they can get down the stretch.
Melli will join Pelicans teammates Zion Williamson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to participate in the event on Friday night.
New Orleans Pelicans rookie forward Nicolo Melli will replace injured Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton on the World Team in the 2020 NBA Rising Stars, the NBA announced on Thursday.
Ayton, a native of The Bahamas, has missed the Suns’ past two games due to a sore left ankle and will not participate in the event on Friday at All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
With the World Team down a player, the NBA selected Melli, from Italy, to replace Ayton. Melli is averaging 6.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in 42 games this season with the Pelicans.
The 26th Rising Stars game will pit 10 first- and second-year NBA players from the United States against 10 first- and second-year NBA players from around the world in the leagueâs annual showcase.
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In addition to Ayton, Miami Heat rookie Tyler Herro will also miss the Rising Stars Game due to an ankle injury. Cleveland Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton was selected to replace Herro.
Melli will join Pelicans rookie teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the World Team while both will face off against Zion Williamson, who was selected to play for the U.S.
NBA Rising Stars will tip-off Friday at 8 p.m. ET on TNT.
