<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-crush-pelicans-avoid-worst-start-50-years');   ga('set', 'title', 'Celtics crush Pelicans to avoid worst start in over 50 years');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Anfernee-Simons_fc64e6.jpg"><figcaption>© Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Celtics crush Pelicans to avoid worst start in over 50 years</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T20:29:58-07:00">October 27th, 8:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T20:29:58-07:00">October 27th, 8:29pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics were expected to struggle more than usual heading into the 2025-26 regular season, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-boston-saying-first-0-3-start-2013-14">but not so much so that they made history</a>. The C’s hadn’t gotten off to a 0-4 start since the 1970-71 campaign. However, heading into a Monday night showdown with the New Orleans Pelicans, there was a chance they’d match that dismal feat set over five decades ago.</p><p>Instead, the Celtics came alive in the fourth quarter to flatten the Pelicans 122-90 at the Smoothie King Center, giving them their first win of the new season. Boston outscored New Orleans 35-12 in the final frame and pushed its 11-point halftime lead to 20 with 4:49 remaining.</p><p>From there, the undermanned Pelicans couldn’t recover. They were <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williams-out-vs-celtics-with-foot-injury">without two-time All-Star Zion Williamson due to a left foot bone contusion</a>. Plus, fellow Pelicans center Kevon Looney is still recovering from a knee injury and has yet to suit up for his new team.</p><p>Since New Orleans was without some of its best bigs, Boston took advantage. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-fatal-flaw-has-jaylen-brown-grasping-straws">Celtics truly dominated the glass for the first time all season</a>, grabbing 66 boards to the Pelicans’ 46. They also dominated on defense, as they posted — with four of those coming from Celtics center Neemias Queta — while the Pels couldn’t manage any.</p><p>On the offensive side of the ball, first-year Celtic Anfernee Simons led all scorers with 25 points off the bench in 32 minutes. His 12 points in the fourth quarter matched the Pelicans’ entire output in the last 15 minutes of the game.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Celtics simply beat the Pelicans on the road 👋</p><p>Anfernee Simons:<br>25 PTS, 6 REBS, 6-of-13 3PT</p><p>Payton Pritchard:<br>18 PTS, 8 ASTS <a href="https://t.co/qHsJTAZ17t">pic.twitter.com/qHsJTAZ17t</a></p><p>— Celtics Nation (@CelticsNationCP) <a href="https://twitter.com/CelticsNationCP/status/1982998591628358129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Although the Celtics will usually look to four-time All-Star Jaylen Brown for scoring, the star guard was in foul trouble in the second half and played just 24 minutes total. Despite his early exit in the fourth quarter, he still finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.</p><p>Perhaps the biggest boost for Boston in the starting lineup came from an unlikely source. Forward Josh Minott made his first career start in the  NBA and recorded a new career-high with 15 points. His energy on both ends of the floor will be necessary if the C’s are to routinely play with the faster pace they prefer.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Josh Minott jams the dunk, and the floor in one play 😅<a href="https://t.co/JxEXcaMaMc">pic.twitter.com/JxEXcaMaMc</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1982979560946979331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The 1-3 Celtics won’t have much time to celebrate their blowout victory. On Wednesday night, they’ll host the 3-1 Cleveland Cavaliers, who just blew out the Detroit Pistons by 21 points. Boston fell to Detroit before beating New Orleans, so it’ll need its A-game against a strong Cleveland team looking to win the Eastern Conference.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics crush Pelicans to avoid worst start in over 50 years

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williams-out-vs-celtics-with-foot-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williams out vs. Celtics with foot injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Zion-Williamson-of-the-New-Orleans-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williams out vs. Celtics with foot injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T15:46:27-07:00">October 27th, 3:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T15:55:34-07:00">October 27th, 3:55pm</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-questionable-for-mondays-game-vs-boston">New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was questionable</a> heading into Monday night’s game against the Boston Celtics, his status for the contest is revealed. While the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-willie-green-demand-injuries-immediately-pile-up-zion-williamson"> injuries pile up for the Pelicans,</a> add Williamson to the list as <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1982936740081041809" rel="noopener">he will be out</a> for the game, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.</p><p>“Zion Williamson is OUT tonight for the Pelicans,” Siegel wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Williamson is currently <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1982869561058963804" rel="noopener">“dealing with a left foot bone contusion,”</a> which is what put him on the injury report to begin with.</p><p>“Zion Williamson is dealing with a left foot bone contusion and is currently listed as questionable to play tonight for the Pelicans against the Celtics,” Siegel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This is a new injury for Williamson.”</p><p>While fans are used to Williamson having injuries at this point, there is no doubt some frustration since the 25-year-old has started the season on the right foot, scoring 27 points in the first two games. Through the two contests, he’s also been active on the glass with 19 rebounds and a productive playmaker, recording 12 assists.</p><p>Still, New Orleans is looking for their first win of the season after dropping the first two to the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs. The Celtics are also winless to start the season, but something has to give with the two teams clashing on Monday night, though fans are eager to see who will step up with the absence of Williamson.</p><p>One would think that Trey Murphy, Jordan Pooke get more offensive opportunities, maybe even the rookie duo of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen get more looks. At any rate, the fanbase will find out on Monday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williams out vs. Celtics with foot injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-willie-green-demand-injuries-immediately-pile-up-zion-williamson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Willie Green making same ‘consistent’ demands as Zion Williamson injuries pile up');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Pelicans-news-Willie-Green-making-these-consistent-demands-as-injuries-pile-up.jpg"></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Willie Green making same ‘consistent’ demands as Zion Williamson injuries pile up</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T13:41:50-07:00">October 27th, 1:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T13:41:50-07:00">October 27th, 1:41pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Just one game into the 2025-26 season, Willie Green found himself addressing a painfully familiar narrative with resigned acceptance. The embattled New Orleans Pelicans coach, standing before reporters <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-zion-williamson-wants-impact-felt-defense-willie-green">after Zion Williamson’s squad</a> was <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-issues-playful-warning-ja-morant-after-grizzlies-loss">taunted by Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies</a>, delivered the same message repeated throughout his tenure. It was expected since Kevon Looney, Karlo Matkovic, and Dejounte Murray were all on the injury report. Yves Missi (ankle) suffered an NBA Opening Night knock, adding more bad news to the Big Easy’s basketball gumbo.</p><p>“Unfortunately, it’s part of the game,” Green sighed. “Sometimes you deal with that as a team. The biggest thing you can do is be consistent as a leader.”</p><p>Green was speaking of himself, yet it also applies to the team’s All-Star. Williamson (27 points, 9.5 rebounds, six assists, four steals) has been that, but sticking up for Jeremiah Fears will only go so far in the standings. These Pelicans need victories soon, especially after losing a very winnable home opener. Unfortunately, Williamson (left bone contusion) is now listed as questionable for the third game of the season (vs. Boston Celtics).</p><p>Green is sitting at 0-2 after that heartbreaking 120-116 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the Smoothie King Center. It’s a disappointing beginning for a team that desperately needs to rebound from last year’s catastrophic 21-61 campaign. Fans are finding it hard to stomach another season of the status quo which led to the second-worst record in franchise history. Giving Green credit for posting 49 wins just two seasons ago also comes with some significant qualifiers.</p><h2><b>Willie Green giving same answers</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Willie-Green-yells-at-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This post-loss reply consistency has become both Green’s defining characteristic and a point of contention for a franchise that has struggled to convert potential into sustained success. There are a few reasons the refrain has hardened into a habit though. New Orleans still needs Zion Williamson to be a steadying hand, for one. Another? Recurring third-quarter breakdowns are constantly addressed. Unfortunately, this leads to public frustrations and demands for more than rote reassurances over 82 games.</p><p>The opener against Morant’s Grizzlies exposed a glaring weakness that has plagued Green’s Pelicans for years. There is an alarming tendency to collapse in the third quarter. After building a 67-56 halftime lead, New Orleans was outscored by 19 points (41-22) over the next 12 minutes. The FedEx Forum crowd was all amped up for a crucial fourth. It was all but inevitable that a shorthanded New Orleans would not overcome the deficit.</p><p>“You do have to be able to try and make some adjustments along the way,” Green said. “That’s just another part of it. The game, you know, sometimes it does not go exactly the way you want it to. When that happens, it’s always about trying to communicate with your staff and players about the changes you might have to make.”</p><p>And that’s why the seat is warming up, in case Green is wondering.</p><p>The most troubling aspect of this particular third-quarter collapse was the disappearing act of Jordan Poole in the offense after a strong start. Despite scoring 15 points in the first half, Poole went 0-for-4 in the third quarter and attempted just one shot in the fourth quarter. For a player acquired specifically for his offensive creation and clutch shooting, this lack of involvement in critical moments raises questions about Green’s in-game offensive system and adjustment capabilities.</p><p>Explain the purpose behind Poole’s shot diet in that third quarter. While injuries explain much of the Pelicans’ recent struggles, a deeper examination reveals troubling patterns that have persisted throughout Green’s four-year tenure. These are patterns that “consistency” hasn’t been able to solve. Still, Joe Dumars with a mandate to search for stability rather than attempt any bold reinventions. It’s why Willie Green and Zion Williamson are still calling New Orleans home.</p><h2><b>Pelicans painting bleak picture</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Willie-Green-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The numbers paint a grim picture of Green’s teams in late-game situations. Not having Williamson for long stretches hurts, sure. Going 0-24 when trailing after three quarters and still finishing with 49 wins is an accomplishment. It also suggests there was a lot of untapped potential. Becoming the first team in NBA history to post a winning record while never recording a come-from-behind victory is a different kind of special.</p><p>In the 2023-24 season, the Pelicans were <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/clutch-traditional?Season=2023-24&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=PTS" rel="noopener">second-to-last in the league</a> in free-throw percentage (69.6%) in the clutch, 24th in turnovers, and 28th in points scored. These aren’t aberrations; they’re systematic failures that have defined the Green era. Williamson missed the go-ahead free-throw against Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs, so that voodoo is creeping into this season already. Again, untapped potential is showing up as defeats.</p><p>That conservative posture explains why Green’s default answer to injury disruptions is a call for consistency. A coach overseeing a rebuilding or retooling roster often chooses continuity over sweeping tactical experiments. Constant schematic churn risks confusing a young group and accelerating losing streaks. As Green said, “The biggest thing you can do is be consistent as a leader.”</p><p>The subtext: stability is the priority, even when results aren’t immediate. That’s a defensible position, even if it frustrates fans who want urgent change. Those fans are getting louder every game. Amid Green’s unwavering calls for consistency are the critics arguing that an adherence to these principles has bordered on stubbornness.</p><p>Green’s offensive system relies too much on isolation scoring, leading to stagnant possessions and low-percentage shots, especially during crunch time. His reluctance to play young players has also been frustrating. He continuously started center Daniel Theis, a career backup, before giving opportunities to youngsters like Yves Missi and Karlo Matkovic. Even when the team was clearly out of playoff contention last season, the Pelicans hesitated to experiment with rookies.</p><p>Rotations have been confusing, with this year being no different. Jose Alvarado’s three meager minutes against the Spurs seem like a nod to the fans and nothing more. When the team is already low on wins and credibility, the immediate priority for a coach is damage control. Sadly, those specific, repeatable collapses make Green’s “we’ll adjust” language feel insufficient.</p><p>Those fans can rest assured; Green is now operating with a shorter leash. He is under pressure to deliver concrete, immediate countermeasures rather than the promise of incremental changes. In the end, Willie Green’s answers are both a reflection of circumstance and a strategic choice.  How long that “part of the game” is tolerated depends on whether the adjustments the Pelicans promised fans this offseason are kept.</p><p>Stopping those third-quarter runs and turning the small-talk cliches into concrete, game-winning change must be the priority. If not, Green’s season could fall apart before Thanksgiving Dinner is in the oven.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson’s star waning</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Zion-Williamson-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Against the Spurs, Zion Williamson had 27 points and 10 rebounds, showing flashes of dominance. But when it mattered most, the Pelicans couldn’t execute. Green’s emphasis on consistency as a leadership virtue is admirable in theory. In an NBA season spanning 82 games with inevitable peaks and valleys, a steady hand at the helm provides players with stability and clear expectations.</p><p>But leadership also requires adaptation. The best coaches in the league find ways to scheme their way out of deficits and adjust when their initial game plans falter. They don’t simply preach consistency; they demonstrate tactical flexibility. Somehow, after four years, the complexity and flexibility of Green’s tactics are all up for debate. Some are still seemingly undefined.</p><p>To be fair, Green had steadily improved the Pelicans before last season’s injury apocalypse. He inherited a 31-win team and posted 36 wins in his debut season, then 42 wins, then 49—each campaign representing tangible progress. His strong rapport with players has never been questioned, and Green’s ability to foster a positive locker-room culture stands as one of his greatest strengths.</p><p>The Pelicans hoped their offseason roster moves would pay off, adding Jordan Poole and welcoming back a healthy Zion Williamson. Williamson appears to be in the best shape he’s been in since he was drafted in 2019, and Murphy and Herbert Jones are both fully healthy entering the season. Dejounte Murray is expected to return from his torn Achilles sometime after the calendar turns to 2026.</p><p>New Orleans is ready to support a winner and this core has the potential to approach the 49-33 record of two years ago. Well, it could if the same old problems were not already emerging. For now, the Pelicans continue to hear the same message from their head coach, the same emphasis on staying consistent through adversity.</p><p>Six of the next eight games are on the road, including trips to Denver, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio. It’s hard for a locker room to have championship-level confidence if they cannot trust a 20-point lead consistently. Whether they can do so with Green at the helm remains one of the franchise’s most pressing questions.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Willie Green making same ‘consistent’ demands as Zion Williamson injuries pile up

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-questionable-for-mondays-game-vs-boston');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson questionable for Monday’s game vs Boston');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Zion-Williamson-on-Oct.-24-2025.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson questionable for Monday’s game vs Boston</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T11:32:19-07:00">October 27th, 11:32am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T11:32:19-07:00">October 27th, 11:32am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-zion-williamson-wants-impact-felt-defense-willie-green">New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson continues to try to make an impact</a>, his status is now up in the air for Monday night’s contest against the Boston Celtics. Despite the loss, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-posterizes-victor-wembanyama-one-handed-jam">Pelicans’ forward in Williamson posterized Victor Wembanyama</a> last Friday in the 120-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, showing off his explosiveness, though that may have to be paused for now.</p><p>According to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, Williamson is questionable to play against the Celtics as he is <a href="https://x.com/BrettSiegelNBA/status/1982869561058963804" rel="noopener">“dealing with a left foot bone contusion.”</a> This issue is also a new injury for Williamson, who scored 27 points to go along with 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.</p><p>“Zion Williamson is dealing with a left foot bone contusion and is currently listed as questionable to play tonight for the Pelicans against the Celtics,” Siegel wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This is a new injury for Williamson.”</p><h2><b>A few Pelicans players who will step up if Zion Williamson is absent </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Zion-Williamson-media-day.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>If Williamson is unable to go, there’s no doubt that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-throws-shade-wizards-fans-not-being-fired-up-enough-for-a-tanking-team">Pelicans guard Jordan Poole would get more offensive opportunity</a>, but two other players that are likely to step up, especially off the bench, are the rookie duo of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Through two games, each has brought a spark to New Orleans’ second unit, <a href="https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/pelicans-practice-report-lottery-picks-making-instant-impact" rel="noopener">garnering praise from head coach Willie Green,</a> via the team’s website.</p><p>“They are extremely savvy,” Green said as Queen and Fears had 15 and 13 points, respectively, against the Spurs. “It’s a credit to our whole staff, and those two guys. They’re in the gym working, watching film. They have this more mature poise on the floor that you don’t always see with young players. We’re getting more and more confident, trusting their ability to step on the floor and help us win.”</p><p>At any rate, it remains to be seen if Williamson will be good to go for Monday night against the Celtics, as the Pelicans still look for their first win of the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson questionable for Monday’s game vs Boston

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-throws-shade-wizards-fans-not-being-fired-up-enough-for-a-tanking-team');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Jordan Poole throws shade at Wizards fans for not being fired up enough for a tanking team');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Poole-vs-the-Spurs.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Jordan Poole throws shade at Wizards fans for not being fired up enough for a tanking team</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T09:52:18-07:00">October 27th, 9:52am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T09:52:18-07:00">October 27th, 9:52am</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-zion-williamson-wants-impact-felt-defense-willie-green">New Orleans Pelicans have</a> gotten off to a rough start to the 2025 NBA season, currently sitting at 0-2 after their most recent home loss <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-stephon-castle-overtime-clutch-shot">to the San Antonio Spurs.</a> The Pelicans are still working to integrate some new pieces into the fold, including Jordan Poole, whom the team acquired from the Washington Wizards over the offseason in exchange for CJ McCollum.</p><p>Poole has bizarrely <a href="https://www.hoopshype.com/story/sports/nba/rumors/2025/10/27/jordan-poole-contrasts-pelicans-crowd-with-wizards-it-was-dead-in-capital-one/86924857007/" rel="noopener">taken numerous shots</a> at the Wizards organization and their fans since arriving in New Orleans, and that trend continued with a new quote ahead of Monday evening’s matchup against the Boston Celtics.</p><p>“I loved it. Oh my God, I loved it,” said Poole about playing a home game in New Orleans for the first time, per Chaz NBA on YouTube, via Hoopshype. “I went back and I told all my people, like — it feels so good to be in an environment where the fans are engaged, and you can feel the electricity in there. You can feel the positive energy. You can feel the fans chanting. Like, the last two years? Dead in there. It was dead in Capital One.”</p><p>While it’s true that the Wizards aren’t necessarily known for their raucous home court environments, Poole didn’t exactly give fans a lot to cheer about during his time there.</p><h2><b>An interesting Pelicans team</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jordan-Poole-laughs-with-Herb-Jones_d54959.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As previously mentioned, the New Orleans Pelicans have stumbled out of the gates to an 0-2 record, although they have played two potential West playoff teams in the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs to open up the year.</p><p>The Pelicans are still waiting to get Dejounte Murray back from the torn Achilles he suffered last year in order to be completely whole, but the team has gotten two strong performances out of Zion Williamson to open up the year, scoring 27 points in each of the first two contests.</p><p>In any case, the Pelicans are set to host the Celtics at 8:00 PM ET on Monday evening, followed by a road trip that will see them face the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Oklahoma City Thunder.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Jordan Poole throws shade at Wizards fans for not being fired up enough for a tanking team

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-zion-williamson-wants-impact-felt-defense-willie-green');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Pelicans want Zion Williamson’s ‘impact to be felt’ on defense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Pelicans-news-How-Zion-Williamson-wants-impact-to-be-felt-on-defense.jpg"></figure><h1>How Pelicans want Zion Williamson’s ‘impact to be felt’ on defense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-25T17:26:03-07:00">October 25th, 5:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-25T17:26:03-07:00">October 25th, 5:26pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The opening moments of an NBA game can often reveal a team’s intentions. For the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-jeremiah-fears-family-pelicans-rookie-onboarding-process">family-focused New Orleans Pelicans</a>, their starting defensive strategy in the season opener sent a clear message:<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-laughing-hysterically-before-grizzlies-game"> Zion Williamson is being asked to lead</a> on both ends of the court. On the second play of the game, the All-Star forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-jumper-zion-williamson">blitzed to double-team Ja Morant</a>, switching onto the point guard to contest an off-balance jumper.</p><p>Morant sank a tough 20-foot shot with seconds remaining on the clock. However, rather than viewing it as a defensive failure, the Pelicans are pointing to it as a blueprint. For Williamson, the outcome of that single play is less important than the process and the statement it makes. These moments weren’t flukes. No, they were signals of a deliberate evolution where defensive presence becomes as unignorable as those <a href="https://x.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1981904610865680686">rim-rattling dunks.</a></p><p>“I definitely want my impact to be felt on defense this year,” Williamson told ClutchPoints. “Granted, (Ja Morant) hit the shot. Still, if I can always influence the offensive player to take off-balance shots like that, if they hit them, I think when we look at the film and live with it. But I definitely want my defensive impact to be felt this year.”</p><p>This mindset is exactly what Willie Green’s coaching staff is encouraging. Mere requests for Williamson to be adequate on defense are no longer tolerated; Joe Dumars is requiring greatness. Those early possessions against Memphis were a signal of both schematic adjustment and personal growth for what should be one of the NBA’s most dynamic weapons.</p><p>“It’s growth on (Williamson’s) part, just taking another step in the right direction as a leader,” Green noted. “Taking the responsibility on the defensive end, challenging himself. There is so much room for not only Zion but our team to continue to grow. I thought he stepped on the floor with intention. He played aggressively. He is dynamic when he has the conditioning that he has right now. That’s all a credit to his work.”</p><p>Green’s comments highlight the crucial link between Williamson’s improved physical conditioning and his potential defensive upside. A more mobile and agile Zion can be asked to blitz, switch, and contain in ways that were previously unimaginable, making the Pelicans far less predictable defensively.</p><h2><b>Pelicans playing with fire</b></h2><p>Of course, playing with such aggressive intention can lead to foul trouble and injury concerns. Staying in the official’s good graces was a challenge against the Grizzlies. Memphis got to the line 43 times. The Pelicans also felt that Williamson’s defensive work wasn’t always rewarded by the officials, with several potential fouls going uncalled.</p><p>Green’s message on that front was simple and focused on the controllable.</p><p>“Keep playing. Keep playing through the whistle,” he said. “I thought (Williamson) got hit a couple of times, but we cannot foul as much as we did. We have to be better at guarding without fouling.”</p><p>For the Pelicans to take the next step as a playoff contender, they’ll need this new Williamson for 75+ games. Zion is capable of guarding multiple positions; it’s more about desire. If Williamson can consistently make life difficult for opponents at all times, the Pelicans will have the kind of elite two-way player every championship contender needs.</p><p>The early returns are promising. Zion Williamson’s willingness to accept the challenge, combined with Green’s faith in his conditioning and growth, suggests this defensive evolution is more than just talk. It’s a deliberate transformation that could define the next chapter of his career.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Pelicans want Zion Williamson’s ‘impact to be felt’ on defense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-trey-murphy-latest-player-comment-gambling-concerns-nba');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Trey Murphy the latest player to comment on gambling concerns in NBA');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trey-Murphy-III-25-shoots-a-jump-shot-against-San-Antonio-Spurs-guard-forward-Devin-Vassell-24.jpg"><figcaption>© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Trey Murphy the latest player to comment on gambling concerns in NBA</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-25T13:02:09-07:00">October 25th, 1:02pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-25T13:02:09-07:00">October 25th, 1:02pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III has joined the growing list of NBA players expressing concern over the league’s relationship with gambling, <a href="https://x.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1981934104540053728" rel="noopener">offering a pointed critique</a> following his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-posterizes-victor-wembanyama-one-handed-jam%5C">team’s 120-116 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs</a>.</p><p>Murphy, who finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in 37 minutes, addressed the topic during his postgame media availability. His remarks follow a wave of player and coach responses as the NBA grapples with a widening gambling investigation involving multiple league personnel.</p><p>“I mean… I don’t know how to word this,” Murphy began. “I would just say I understand that people basically put their life savings on this and I don’t think it’s a great idea especially because you’re betting on another person to do something – just not very smart about it.”</p><p>Murphy’s comments reflect an increasing discomfort among players as the line between fan engagement and betting pressure continues to blur. Over the last several weeks, figures such as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/boston-celtics/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-cites-integrity-issues-players-amid-gambling-investigations">Celtics guard Jaylen Brown</a> and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/denver-nuggets/nuggets-news-how-chauncey-billups-fbi-case-impacts-brother-rodney">Nuggets head coach David Adelman have spoken out</a> about the emotional, ethical, and logistical challenges that legalized sports betting has introduced to the league.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“I understand that people basically put their life savings on this… For people in the NBA… I dont think that’s right. My mother raised me differently. She’s also sitting here today so I have to say that”</p><p>— Trey Murphy on gambling <a href="https://t.co/gGMiKmbeFO">pic.twitter.com/gGMiKmbeFO</a></p><p>— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1981934104540053728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>Murphy distinguished between casual bettors and those within NBA circles who might be tempted to cross the line for financial gain.</p><p>“That’s just for the regular bettors and now for the people in the NBA, I’m a just hold my comments on that,” Murphy said. “I don’t think it’s the greatest thing to do, especially because you’re risking so much just in order to get like a small come up. So, I don’t think that’s right. My mother raised me differently… she’s also sitting here today so I definitely have to say that but yeah, that’s all I’m a say.”</p><h2><b>Pelicans’ Trey Murphy joins growing player concern amid NBA gambling probe</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Trey-Murphy-III-25-shoots-as-Memphis-Grizzlies-forward-center-Jaren-Jackson-Jr.-8.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Murphy’s remarks came just days after federal authorities confirmed the arrests of several NBA-connected figures, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, former assistant Damon Jones, and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. All three were implicated in an ongoing probe into illegal sports betting operations and insider information sharing.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/miami-heat/heat-rumors-miami-was-unaware-of-terry-roziers-alleged-gambling-activity">Rozier was arrested in Orlando</a> and faces potential charges related to suspicious betting activity connected to a 2023 game between the Hornets and Pelicans — a game in which he exited early due to a foot injury. That same investigation previously resulted in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/toronto-raptors/raptors-news-jontay-porter-texted-bettors-during-game">lifetime ban of Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter</a>.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/trail-blazers-news-chauncey-billups-releases-statement-denying-illegal-gambling-allegations">Billups was taken into custody in Oregon</a> and is reportedly being investigated for ties to an illegal poker operation linked to organized crime. Jones, a longtime NBA assistant and former player, was also arrested and alleged to have distributed inside information to gambling entities, with reports specifically citing his past proximity to Lakers star LeBron James.</p><p>Murphy did not name any of the individuals involved but emphasized the broader danger of normalizing gambling around a sport dependent on trust and competitive integrity.</p><p>The Pelicans are now 0–2 and will look to secure their first win of the season on Monday night when they host the Boston Celtics (also 0–2) at 8:00 p.m. ET. As on-court battles continue, off-court scrutiny surrounding gambling remains at the center of the league’s early-season narrative.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Trey Murphy the latest player to comment on gambling concerns in NBA

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-zion-williamson-posterizes-victor-wembanyama-one-handed-jam');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Zion Williamson posterizes Victor Wembanyama with one-handed jam');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Zion-Williamson-1.jpg"><figcaption>Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Zion Williamson posterizes Victor Wembanyama with one-handed jam</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T20:06:22-07:00">October 24th, 8:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T20:06:22-07:00">October 24th, 8:06pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Zion Williamson had an insane dunk on Victor Wembanyama during the New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-laughing-hysterically-before-grizzlies-game">Pelicans’ matchup against the San Antonio Spurs</a> on Friday night.</p><p>Williamson has begun his seventh year in the NBA, looking to be at his most healthy since the 2023-24 campaign. He’s dealt with weight and injury issues throughout his young career, arguably making this season the most important one for him.</p><p>Williamson had a solid season opener, getting 27 points and nine rebounds against the Memphis Grizzlies. He continued that momentum going into this matchup against Wembanyama and the Spurs. The big play happened in the first 20 seconds of the game, as Williamson drove his way into the paint and <a href="https://x.com/NBA/status/1981879633491689742" rel="noopener">dunked over the towering big man</a> in style.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">OH MY GOODNESS ZION WILLIAMSON 🤯</p><p>Watch on NBA League Pass: <a href="https://t.co/Xr82IwVwHN">https://t.co/Xr82IwVwHN</a> <a href="https://t.co/To5yDVoayo">pic.twitter.com/To5yDVoayo</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1981879633491689742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How Zion Williamson, Pelicans played against Spurs</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Victor-Wembanyama-1.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This campaign will be a prove-it year for Zion Williamson, showing the need for him to have the best season of his career. Despite his efforts in this game, it wasn’t enough as the Pelicans lost 120-116 to Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs in overtime.</p><p>Both teams exchanged blows over the course of the game. Neither refused to create any big distance from one another until San Antonio finally pulled away in the overtime period. They outscored the hosts 13-9 in the last five minutes of play, securing the road win in the process.</p><p>Rebounding and 3-point shooting made the difference in this matchup. The Spurs won in both categories, grabbing 59 rebounds while knocking down 13 3-pointers. It wasn’t the same for the Pelicans, getting 45 rebounds while converting just 10 triples.</p><p>Five players scored in double-digits on New Orleans’ behalf, including Williamson. He finished with a stat line of 27 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. He shot 8-of-18 from the field and 11-of-16 from the free-throw line. Trey Murphy III came next with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Jordan Poole had 21 points and five assists, Derik Queen put up 15 points and six rebounds, while Jeremiah Fears provided 13 points and four rebounds.</p><p>The Pelicans will look to bounce back in their next matchup, being at home. They host the Boston Celtics on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson posterizes Victor Wembanyama with one-handed jam

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-stephon-castle-overtime-clutch-shot');   ga('set', 'title', 'Spurs’ Stephon Castle forces overtime with clutch shot');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stephon-Castle-forces-overtime-with-clutch-shot.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen Lew-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Spurs’ Stephon Castle forces overtime with clutch shot</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T20:01:16-07:00">October 24th, 8:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T20:33:40-07:00">October 24th, 8:33pm</time><address><a>Allan Binoy</a>Allan Binoy is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NCAA Football, and NBA for ClutchPoints. With a deep passion for storytelling and analysis, he brings fans closer to the action by breaking down the biggest moments and storylines across the world of sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Stephon Castle drilled a game-tying 3-pointer with under 25 seconds left in regulation to force overtime against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, sparking a wild finish and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-even-victor-wembanyama-cant-believe-stephon-castle-alley-oop-dunk">sending the Smoothie King Center into a frenzy</a>. The San Antonio Spurs guard stepped into the shot and buried the triple from the left wing after a crisp swing of the ball.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">STEPHON CASTLE SENDS SPURS-PELICANS TO OVERTIME ✊<a href="https://t.co/IMr621mQet">pic.twitter.com/IMr621mQet</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1981912382097011059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Castle’s shot capped a furious San Antonio rally. The 6-foot-6 guard has been one of the few consistent energy sources for the Spurs this season, and he delivered when the team needed a play that could change momentum. Castle drove the lane earlier in the quarter for a thunderous finish and then showed his confidence from deep when the team counted on him.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/san-antonio-spurs/spurs-news-colin-cowherd-bold-victor-wembanyama-prediction">Victor Wembanyama continued to carry the Spurs offensively</a>, pacing San Antonio with 29 points and steady perimeter play that kept the club within striking distance all night, per the ESPN <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401809949" rel="noopener">box score</a>. Luke Kornet and Devin Vassell also chipped in, giving the Spurs multiple scorers to lean on in crunch time. On the Pelicans’ side, New Orleans kept answering, but Castle’s late 3 erased their lead and gave San Antonio life.  </p><p>San Antonio’s defense tightened in the final minute, but the Pelicans had managed to hang on to leads through much of the game with timely baskets from their wings and hustle on the glass. Spurs ended up winning the game 120-116 in OT. Castle’s three didn’t just tie the score; it shifted the feel of the night and handed momentum back to the Spurs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Spurs’ Stephon Castle forces overtime with clutch shot

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/how-jeremiah-fears-family-pelicans-rookie-onboarding-process');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Jeremiah Fears’ family eases Pelicans’ rookie onboarding process');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-Jeremiah-Fears-family-eases-rookie-onboarding-process.jpg"></figure><h1>How Jeremiah Fears’ family eases Pelicans’ rookie onboarding process</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T18:16:51-07:00">October 24th, 6:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T18:20:44-07:00">October 24th, 6:20pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For an NBA rookie, the initial whirlwind of preseason games, new cities, and facing off against childhood idols can be overwhelming. For <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-bet-jeremiah-fears-replacing-chris-paul">New Orleans Pelicans new go-to guard Jeremiah Fears</a>, the antidote to that chaos has been a simple, powerful constant: family. Over a dozen family members gathered in Memphis to watch the 19-year-old’s NBA regular-season debut. The support system isn’t just in the stands either.</p><p>Family is woven into the very fabric of Fears’ early professional journey, turning milestone moments into shared memories.</p><p>“It means a lot, that support, especially for someone as young as me,” Fears admitted to ClutchPoints. “Seeing family here and being able to get them the experience for my first game. It was pretty cool for them, but it was pretty cool for me as well.”</p><p>That grounding presence has been a cornerstone as Fears navigates this new professional environment, both on and off the court. On it, he’s already soaking up lessons from veteran teammates.</p><p>“It was great playing with Zion,” beamed Fears. “(Williamson) brings a lot to the table. You can learn from him even though he is super young.”</p><p>Fears also had his <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401809938/pelicans-grizzlies" rel="noopener">first taste of high-stakes</a> competition, squaring off against Ja Morant.</p><p>“Playing against Ja was super dope,” the rookie admitted. “(Morant) talked to me a little bit after the game. At the same time, you’ve got to go out there and compete, so he was probably trying to kill me.”</p><p>As for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-biggest-jeremiah-fears-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">how Fears was approaching the matchups</a> against Morant?</p><p>“I was trying to kill him.”</p><p>Morant’s now-viral pointing taunt directed at Fears at the end of that game got plenty of attention, but the rookie shrugged it off as a true “welcome to the NBA” moment. While his teammate <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-issues-playful-warning-ja-morant-after-grizzlies-loss">Zion Williamson disagreed with that assessment</a>, Fears held his ground.</p><p>“I would definitely say not yet,” he stressed. “In preseason, there was a moment when (Kevin Durant) was doing some crazy stuff. Other than that, I don’t think there was a moment in this game I would say.”</p><p>We’ll make sure to ask Fears about that assessment after another 81 games.</p><h2><b>Jeremiah Fears knows purpose</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Pelicans-news-Jeremiah-Fears-fuels-hype-extremely-bold-prediction.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Beyond the highlight plays and competitive fire, Fears is channeling his rookie platform toward something far more meaningful. Finding purpose through pain requires a perspective that most would not wish on anyone, and the Fears family knows this reality intimately.</p><p>In partnership with the Paris Parker salon, Fears and family will host a special “Glam Up” event honoring 10 breast cancer patients from Ochsner Cancer Center. These women, currently undergoing or having completed treatment, will be treated to a full makeover experience at Paris Parker’s Carondelet St. location in New Orleans.</p><p>The event carries profound personal significance. Losing Jeremiah’s grandmother to breast cancer at just 45 years old has driven the family’s commitment to uplifting others facing similar battles. Through this collaboration with Ochsner Health, Fears demonstrates that his rookie onboarding process is not just about adjusting to NBA life. It’s about bringing his family along for the journey and using his new platform to honor those who can’t be there. In doing so, he’s showing maturity that extends far beyond his years on the court.</p><p>For the fourth-youngest player in the NBA, Jeremiah Fears is already understanding what it means to be a professional in every sense of the word.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Jeremiah Fears’ family eases Pelicans’ rookie onboarding process

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/exclusive-why-pelicans-comparing-jordan-poole-allen-iverson');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: Jordan Poole drawing Allen Iverson comparison early in Pelicans tenure');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jordan-Poole-drawing-Allen-Iverson-comparison-early-in-Pelicans-tenure.jpg"></figure><h1>Exclusive: Jordan Poole drawing Allen Iverson comparison early in Pelicans tenure</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T16:32:02-07:00">October 24th, 4:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T16:32:02-07:00">October 24th, 4:32pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a Memphis Grizzlies beat reporter for ClutchPoints who has also covered the New Orleans Pelicans. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Allen Iverson’s shadow looms large over basketball’s pantheon, a six-foot-flat blur of cornrows, crossovers, and unyielding heart that redefined the scoring guard position. Two decades later, another undersized assassin with a penchant for pull-ups steps into that lineage, not by imitation, but by inheritance. At least that is how the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-issues-playful-warning-ja-morant-after-grizzlies-loss">New Orleans Pelicans hope things play out</a> for <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-giddiness-kevon-looney-reunion-wizards-jab">Jordan Poole in the Big Easy.</a></p><p>As calls for ‘Iverson cuts’ ripple through the huddle and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-laughing-hysterically-before-grizzlies-game">Zion Williamson vouches for his new backcourt mate</a>‘s dogged spirit, Poole’s journey with the Pelicans has evolved into a quest for redemption and reinvention. Speaking with ClutchPoints before the <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/401809938/pelicans-grizzlies" rel="noopener">season-opening loss</a> to the Memphis Grizzlies, Poole opened up about his deep admiration for The Answer and how that connection has become a meaningful part of the 26-year-old’s identity.</p><p>“I just gravitated towards (Iverson) when I was young. Just watching him hoop with his swag, with his style,” Poole told ClutchPoints. “How he was with the ball and was able to score at his size and stuff. That’s why he is my favorite player. I channel that energy and now I’m someone’s favorite player. They even gave me a signed AI card.”</p><p>The moment was pure serendipity: A fan slipped Poole the autographed card during pregame warmups, a gesture that hit home for a player who’s spent his career chasing that same elusive blend of flair and ferocity. When Herb Jones overheard the conversation, the usually stoic defender couldn’t help but crack a smile when checking out the gift. Everyone stopped for a look. Iverson is universally beloved and Poole’s stall was the first on the left after all.</p><p>Moments later, Jones laughing broke up the seriousness of really trying to stand in a Hall of Famer’s shoes, metaphorically speaking. Still, the fan’s gesture is now a guarded possession.</p><p>“All that’s much appreciated,” Poole said humbly. “I’m just going to play my game and let that speak for itself.”</p><p>That game, as it turns out, includes echoes of Iverson’s iconic playbook.</p><h2><b>Zion Williamson protecting Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jordan-Poole-defense-Pelicans.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Allen Iverson parallels are not just fan-driven nostalgia. Zion Williamson was quick to confirm that the comparison runs deeper than surface-level similarities, though there was a qualifier.</p><p>“First off, I’m going to give my respect to AI,” Williamson smiled. “You know The Answer. He is a legend in the game. Me and Poole had conversations about it. I’m pretty sure he has a tattoo of Allen Iverson, just out of respect for him. (Poole) definitely looks up to him, studies his film.”</p><p>Williamson didn’t stop at acknowledging Poole’s fandom. The All-Star forward outlined specific offensive concepts the Pelicans plan to deploy to unlock Poole’s scoring potential.</p><p>“I think with the Iverson cuts that we can set up for Poole,” began Williamson, “he can definitely take advantage of those things.”</p><p>Perhaps more importantly, Zion’s endorsement went deeper than schemes. Williamson offered a compelling defense of his new teammate’s character.</p><p>“I think another thing with Poole is that social media has this kind of portrayed image of him. When you get around him, he is a dog. He is a competitor. He is a good dude to be around,” Williamson shared. “I said it before, and I’m going to say it again: I’m glad (Poole) is on this team with us.”</p><p>That last comment speaks to the narrative rehabilitation Poole hopes to achieve in New Orleans. After a turbulent final season with the Golden State Warriors and a year with the Washington Wizards where wins were scarce, the NBA Champion is getting a chance to redefine himself alongside one of the league’s most dominant forces.</p><h2><b>Fresh start for Jordan Poole</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jordan-Poole-laughs-with-Herb-Jones.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Jordan Poole’s debut (17 points, 6-14 FGA) offered glimpses of that fire. Unfortunately, it was far from flawless as 15 of those points and both assists came in the first half. Poole coughed up three turnovers and was held in check for the entire second half, but the poise was there for the Pelicans. That is a far cry from the inconsistency that plagued him in Washington last season and New Orleans since Chris Paul left town.</p><p>Willie Green, ever the optimist even in defeat, lavished praise on Poole’s two-way promise. Where Iverson’s defensive reputation was, shall we say, selectively engaged, Green sees Poole as a more complete operator from the jump.</p><p>“(Poole) has the capability of doing both. He can be a guy who handles the ball when we’re playing pick-and-roll and can find his teammates. He is also extremely dynamic coming off the ball, coming off pins, coming off different screens,” Green noted after the Grizzlies game. “He’s got a great shot fake, gets to the basket. He is an underrated finisher. I love what he brought to the group tonight.”</p><p>That last line — “I love what he brought to the group tonight” — wasn’t about a box score. It was about presence. The same way Iverson’s energy once reshaped Philadelphia’s identity, Poole’s arrival redefines what the Pelicans’ offense <i>feels</i> like. Dejounte Murray’s return after the holiday season should only enhance this feature in the team’s new offensive hierarchy.</p><p>New city, new teammates, and new energy. For Jordan Poole, the move to New Orleans isn’t just about reviving his career; it’s about rewriting the story being told. If Allen Iverson taught us anything, it’s that style and substance can coexist in the pursuit of redemption. Thankfully, for perhaps the first time, Poole has found a locker room that not only embraces his admiration for Allen Iverson but is actively building its offense around it.</p><p>With a star teammate (Zion Williamson) in his corner and a coach who believes in his two-way potential, Poole is getting the ultimate chance to rewrite his story by channeling his idol.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Exclusive: Jordan Poole drawing Allen Iverson comparison early in Pelicans tenure

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-bringing-in-veteran-deandre-jordan-on-one-year-deal');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans bringing in veteran DeAndre Jordan on one-year deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/DeAndre-Jordan-warms-up.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans bringing in veteran DeAndre Jordan on one-year deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-24T08:28:47-07:00">October 24th, 8:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-24T08:28:47-07:00">October 24th, 8:28am</time><address><a>Zachary Weinberger</a>Zachary Weinberger joined ClutchPoints in October 2023 as a Miami Heat reporter as well as an Associate Editor. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022 after covering the school's athletic programs since his freshman year at the FAU University Press, where he was a Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief. He then covered FAU Sports for The Palm Beach Post.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-issues-playful-warning-ja-morant-after-grizzlies-loss">New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Memphis Grizzlies</a>, 128-122, the team would go ahead and make a move that fans are likely to be excited about. As <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-zion-williamson-laughing-hysterically-before-grizzlies-game">Zion Williamson and the Pelicans after the Grizzlies’ loss</a> are looking to exceed expectations, the team signed veteran center DeAndre Jordan, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.</p><p>Jordan is <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1981737655147851886" rel="noopener">signing a one-year deal worth $3.6 million</a> as he will be entering the 18th season of his NBA career, where he was on an All-NBA team once and won a championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He broke out with the Los Angeles Clippers to start Jordan’s career as he was drafted in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft.</p><p>“Free agent center DeAndre Jordan is signing a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The one-time All-NBA big man and 2023 champion enters his 18th season in the league,” Charania wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Having been with the Nuggets for the last three seasons, Jordan took to Instagram to post his goodbye message, saying his time with the team was <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DQIeTtrD38i/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&amp;igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==" rel="noopener">“unforgettable.”</a></p><p>“Grateful for 3 unforgettable seasons with the Nuggets,” Jordan wrote. “Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, staff, and the INCREDIBLE fans who made Denver a home. I have gained so much from this city and made lifelong friendships that I will keep forever. It’s been an amazing ride, from day one to bringing home a championship together. Nothing but love and respect. Excited for what’s next.”</p><h2><b>DeAndre Jordan is looking to make an impact with the Pelicans</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DeAndre-Jordan-reacts-to-a-shot.jpg"><figcaption>Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>While fans are locking in their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/3-zion-williamson-bold-predictions-2025-26-pelicans-season">bold predictions on the Pelicans and even Williamson</a> specifically, Jordan could be a veteran voice in the locker room that could help someone like the 25-year-old. At 37 years old, Jordan still has the determination to play, even with the limited usage, as last season, he averaged 3.7 points and 5.1 rebounds, while shooting 65 percent from the field in 12.3 minutes per game.</p><p>Jordan made light of his playing career in an Instagram post, with a narrator over a video saying “This is DeAndre Jordan – a retired NBA veteran,” but he interrupts, saying <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNB9So-ywn2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link" rel="noopener">“No, I’m not – I’m still playing.”</a></p><p>With the caption of “firing my narrator for this,” there is no doubt that Jordan understands that he is in the twilight years of his career, though he can still impact the game, despite the limited minutes. He looks to do the same with New Orleans this season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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Pelicans News: Get the latest New Orleans Pelicans news, scores, stats, standings, fantasy games, and more from ClutchPoints.

Latest Pelicans News

Celtics crush Pelicans to avoid worst start in over 50 years

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