The New Orleans Pelicans had nowhere to go but up after being down and out after Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons. On Wednesday, they went up North and took their frustrations out on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Led by a monster performance from Zion Williamson, New Orleans stormed into Minneapolis and stunned the Timberwolves with a gritty 119-115 win. This wasn’t just any win—it was a statement, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Coming off one of the worst losses in franchise history and still reeling from the season-ending injury to Trey Murphy III, the Pelicans could’ve folded. Instead, they showed incredible resilience on the road against a Western Conference contender.
Williamson was nothing short of spectacular. He finished with 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting, dished out eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, and picked up three steals. He set the tone from the opening tip, attacking the rim relentlessly and forcing Minnesota to send double—and sometimes triple—teams his way. It didn’t matter. Zion bullied his way through the defense and made the right reads all night, elevating everyone around him.
And they needed every bit of his effort. After falling behind by 11 points in the second quarter, New Orleans flipped the script with a 14-0 run to take the lead. From there, it was back and forth, but the Pelicans never blinked. They grabbed key rebounds, made the extra passes, and refused to let Minnesota take control.
A huge part of that was how well the Pelicans neutralized Anthony Edwards. Yes, Edwards matched Williamson’s 29 points, but it was a hard-earned 29. The Wolves star shot just 5-of-19 from the field, including an icy 1-for-9 on two-point attempts. Credit the Pelicans’ defense for making life difficult—sending bodies at him, cutting off driving lanes, and forcing him into tough shots.
The key moment? Late in the fourth, clinging to a two-point lead, New Orleans crashed the boards and came up with a critical offensive rebound. Naturally, it was Williamson who capped off the possession with a layup, pushing the lead to four and sending Timberwolves fans to the exits early.
While Zion was the headline, this was far from a one-man show. CJ McCollum shook off his rough outing in Detroit, adding 18 points. Bruce Brown came off the bench with a strong 15-point, seven-rebound, six-assist performance. Kelly Olynyk, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Hawkins, and Yves Missi all chipped in double figures as well. In total, six Pelicans finished in double digits—exactly the “by committee” approach Coach Green emphasized without Murphy in the lineup.
Minnesota, now losers of two straight after an eight-game win streak, couldn’t find the spark to put away a Pelicans squad that had only six road wins entering the night.
After Sunday’s low point, New Orleans came into a hostile environment, shut down one of the West’s top teams, and proved that with Williamson, they are still capable of a surprise or two.
And the best part? They get to run it back Friday night.
Let’s see if Minnesota can figure out how to stop Zion. Good luck with that.
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