Charlotte (USA), May 9 (EFE) .- The point guard Eric Bledsoe became the leading scorer for the New Orleans Pelicans by getting a double-double of 24 points and 11 assists, which allowed them to beat 110 at home. -112 to the Charlotte Hornets.
Along with Bledsoe, the pivots, the young Jaxson Hayes, who contributed 18 points, eight rebounds with six blocks and the Spanish Willy Hernangómez, who continued to start, and finished leading in the inside game by capturing 16 balls under the hoops, also decided the decisive triumph of the Pelicans.
Hernangómez, who played 22 minutes, also contributed nine points by scoring 4 of 8 shots from the field and 1 of 2 from the personnel line, his defensive game was dominant and he captured 11 rebounds under the Pelicans basket.
In addition to giving an assist, he recovered two balls, lost four and put a stopper against his former team.
The victory allowed the Pelicans (31-37) to stay alive in the fight to reach the tenth place in the Western Conference that allows them to play the playoffs play-in by being one game and a half away from the San Antonio Spurs (32 -35) when he still has four games to go before the end of the regular season.
Power forward James Johnson added 17 points that also helped the Pelicans, who continued to lose their stars, forward Zion Williamson, power forward Brandon Ingram and starting center New Zealander Steven Adams, all injured.
The win was the Pelicans’ fourth win in their last six games.
Guard Terry Rozier added 43 points, his best as a professional, after scoring 16 of 26 shots from the field, including seven triples, but it was not enough to get the victory that would have secured the Hornets a place in the play-in of Eastern Conference playoffs, where they occupy eighth place with a 33-35 record.
The Hornets, like the Pelicans, also had significant casualties as they played without their starters, guard Devonte Graham, and forwards Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward.
The game also saw the second meeting this season between the Ball brothers, LaMelo Ball had 22 points and five assists with Charlotte, but missed two key free throws late in the game and had five turnovers.
Lonzo Ball had 12 points and six assists as the Pelicans’ game director.
At one point, LaMelo tried to steal the ball from his older brother near the middle of the court and then dove after him in the backcourt, only to be called a foul.
(c) EFE Agency