Pelicans attack the rim, start hot then hold on late to beat Spurs, advance

On Nov. 16 of last year, the Pelicans fell to 3-16 to start the season, looking disorganized on both ends while speculation about the future of GM David Griffin was rampant.

On April 13, 2022, the Pelicans moved within one win of the playoffs.

One of the great in-season turnarounds in NBA history kept on rolling Wednesday night CJ McCollum started hot, scoring 27 points in the first half (finishing with 32), while Brandon Ingram added 27 himself on the night and the Pelicans held off a fourth quarter run by the Spurs to earn 113-103 win in the 9/10 play-in game in the West.

Stars’ value goes up in the playoffs — or play-in games — and the Pelicans’ had more star power, and those stars stepped up. McCollum and New Orleans were savoring the season turnaround and this win — and he was not about to let Ingram just sit quietly and do his postgame interview.

CJ and the Pelicans were lit after their play-in win