The New Orleans Pelicans have dealt with an injury-plagued season, cycling through 42 different starting lineups. Sunday, they played without head coach Willie Green. Green missed the game for personal reasons, leaving associate head coach James Borrego to take the reins. Borrego had the added wrinkle of coaching against his former team, the Charlotte Hornets, where he was head coach from 2018 to 2022.
The game wasn’t pretty, but the Pelicans gutted out a 98-94 victory at Smoothie King Center. With Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Jordan Hawkins out, Borrego was forced to lean on a mix of young and role players to get the job done.
Late-Game Heroics from Alvarado
Jose Alvarado delivered in the clutch. After Charlotte’s Nick Smith Jr. hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 39.5 seconds remaining to put the Hornets up 94-93, Alvarado responded with a tough reverse layup and drew a foul. He knocked down the free throw, giving the Pelicans a 96-94 lead. On the next possession, a Hornets turnover set up Alvarado to drive and dish to Keion Brooks Jr., who finished at the rim to seal the win.
Brooks led the Pelicans with 17 points, while Antonio Reeves added 16. The Pelicans’ victory avenged a brutal 123-92 loss to Charlotte in January, one of six 30-point defeats New Orleans has suffered in a difficult season.
Borrego Steps In and Delivers
For Borrego, Sunday’s game was a bit of revenge from his head coaching days. The former Hornets coach posted a 138-163 record in his four years leading Charlotte, steering them to consecutive Play-In Tournament appearances before being dismissed in 2022. He also spent time as the interim head coach for the Orlando Magic in 2015, going 10-20 after Jacque Vaughn was fired.
“I’m fortunate to have had a little run at this, so it kind of kicks you back into that mode again,” Borrego said. “It’s good to have a little test run again and get out there with the fellas.”
Borrego’s record now improves to 2-0 when filling in for Green. Last season, he coached the Pelicans to a 131-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Rookies Step Up as Pelicans Rally
The Pelicans trailed 52-43 at halftime, struggling from deep with just two three-pointers in the first half. But Reeves caught fire in the third quarter, drilling three consecutive threes to propel New Orleans into a 74-73 lead heading into the fourth.
The game was a feature for the Pelicans’ young talent. Four Pelicans rookies—Reeves, Brooks, Yves Missi, and Karlo Matkovic—saw extended minutes and continued to produce quality numbers. With so many veterans missing, New Orleans had no choice but to rely on its young players, and they delivered when it mattered most.
| Player | Min | PTS | FG% | 3P% | REB | AST | STL |
| Karlo Matkovic | 22.0 | 13.0 | 59.3 | 33.3 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 0.3 |
| Antonio Reeves | 23.7 | 12.7 | 58.3 | 69.2 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 |
| Keion Brooks Jr. | 23.1 | 12.7 | 53.6 | 50.0 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| Yves Missi | 25.9 | 12.0 | 60.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 |
Looking Ahead
The Pelicans (21-54) will now embark on a two-game road trip in Los Angeles, facing the Clippers on Wednesday and the Lakers on Friday. While the playoffs are out of reach, they can still influence the Western Conference standings, as both L.A. teams are jockeying for position.
With only a handful of games left, Borrego and the Pelicans will continue to battle, hoping to finish a turbulent season on a positive note. If Sunday’s win proved anything, it’s that this team won’t go down without a fight.
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