Zion Williamson is in beast mode – ESPN reacts to New Orleans Pelicans beat Detroit Pistons 114-101

Zion Williamson is in beast mode – ESPN reacts to New Orleans Pelicans beat Detroit Pistons 114-101

Which improves New Orleans to now 9 and two in the month of March a month that has seen a reinvigorated Pelicans team including Zion I know he’s not shown here but folks Paces the pels today with a tied season High 36 points in 37 minutes my goodness this team is rolling including

In the standings as the fifth place Pelicans now move within a game of the clippers for that four Spot while extending their lead over the six seated Suns two now two games rers currently trailing big in the fourth which has me saying go Sixers go go Sixers go you got

To love this time of year in the scoreboard watching that comes with it as we welcome you into Pelicans live presented by Toyota Aaron hardigan alongside NBA analyst Madison Hawk who knows that when you are staring down the 10th toughest remaining schedule in the league today your head’s down you do

What you are supposed to do to a team that is the bottom beater essentially in the NBA well done yeah a team that’s won 12 games in the NBA and you mentioned it it was all because of the way that this team got out to a fast start so many

Times the Pelicans could have just said okay we’re playing the Pistons they’ve won 12 games slow start doesn’t matter no they came out of the gates ready to rock and roll and let’s take a look at this first quarter they only allowed 10 points in the first quarter fewest in a

Quarter this season it was really fun to watch considering they held the Pistons to shooting 21 1% from the field 0 for 10 from three and they forced eight turnovers in that first so during these highlights you’re seeing a lot of their defense lead to offense in large part

Because of Zion Williamson wow how much fun was he tonight y’all can we just take a moment here and reflec on what we’re watching when I remember when I talked about the light bulb coming on again a tide season High 36 in 37 minutes of play you mentioned

Before the show was the third time this season that Zion has played 36 or more minutes and in a game that he very well could have rested sat out that could have done well with that right yeah but you know what I like most out of this

Graphic when we’re taking a look at Friday’s game in comparison to today’s game look at the free throws zero of zero he did not have one free throw attempt on Friday today he went to the free throw line 14 times he was almost perfect from the field

13-4 we talked about that first quarter Zion was a huge reason why they were able to get out to a first to a fast start he played the entire first quarter I mean talk about the stamina and the conditioning that Zion has now it has been so much fun to watch him just

Progress and be able to go Coast to Coast night in and night out you mentioned it this is a game that Zion could have rested knowing what’s to come with the schedule however he didn’t need any rest he was explosive going off two feet in the paint going off one foot it

Doesn’t matter the Pistons had no answered to him I love this graphic right here because take a look at where Zion had his bread and butter today all with inside the paint all with really right around the goal I like this tweet that I saw earlier too Zion

Averages 18.6 points in the paint for his career Aon that’s the most in the NBA in 25 years Zion finished with 36 points today all in the paint or from the free throw line and I loved your point he has a want to at this point

This he wants to be out there he been 37 minutes against the last place team in the NBA I mean he he has like a relit fire and I noted throughout the game the efficiency was most impressive yeah I mean they can’t get much better than 13

To 14 you really can’t I love when Joel made a comment on the broadcast saying like how dare he miss that one shot jokingly of course but what we’re witnessing is just something that I really I I I really want to sit and really appreciate because um this is

Growth not only with Zion but with this team as a whole I we have seen I called it you know a reinvigorated squad I I think it’s that buyin that you talked about I think they’re finally believing in Wily’s philosophy and trusting in that and now executing it absolutely and

The best part is they’re doing it down the stretch of the season when it really matters let’s take a look back at last year whenever this team was first in the Western Conference and they were playing some of the best basketball of the Season well that happened in December of

Last season now they’re playing their best basketball with only 12 13 games remaining as they’re trying to get get home court advantage in the playoffs so they’re peing at the right time we’ve heard the players say this night in and night out it doesn’t matter what you do

In November December January it matters what you do from February and on in terms of seating within within the playoffs the Pelicans right now they are fighting they are knocking on the heels of the Clippers we’d love to see them get some homec court advantage you can

Bet the rest of the league was keeping an eye on that game today Scout no out well half of them came from your Superstar Zion Williamson 26 for him love that beautiful shot chart done by Eric Stoner in the back there and and it it just it speaks to the fact that what

We’re witnessing folks is not normal what he’s doing to Defenders that are professional athletes in this game Willie Green got to be happy up in the Motor City his native stomping grounds as we return there to him at the mic congrats coach strong road trip overall I would say um what’s your

Evaluation what did you like best about this road trip uh I like that we were really sound defensively we forced him into some tough shots um you know these games can be tough sometimes um last game of a road trip they have guys out but I like the fact that our group we

Did what we needed to do on their home floor and took care of business it seems like you might be managing these minutes just a little bit differently he played the entire first quarter tonight uh do you feel like you’re finding some traction with that he had it going

Tonight in the first quarter he kind of got it going maybe like Midway through we wanted to let him go a little bit and that’s all that was yeah yep yep CJ 11 points for you in the fourth he seems to really be stepping up in terms of

Offensive aggression in the absence of bi yes he is CJ was great he uh you know started off a little slow but he got it going throughout the course of the game and that’s what he does night in and Night Out CJ’s a guy that he he’s steady

He’s going to get you you know 18 to 202 points five assists five rebounds and uh he hit some big shots for us in in that third and fourth quarter how have you found your bench especially in the absence of Pi you’ve had to change rotations play deeper into your reserves uh it’s

Just a matter of trusting in our guys you know nii Jose Larry we put hwke out there for a little bit you know so the guys work at it they they understand you know what we’re dealing with and everybody collectively has to continue to step up and I know you say you take

The season in 10 you got 11 left overall and a huge home stand coming up with some crazy good opponents what’s your goal for that home stand what are you looking for well first is to get back home uh get a little rest and and then

Get ready to go we want to take care of home court that’s the biggest thing for us is focus on one game at a time focus on one opponent and let’s try to attack it from from that perspective will the luxury of having Trey and her defensively just not many

Teams can just throw wings out there that can defend the way those guys can defend like how much of a luxury is that you know schematically for it’s a luxury it’s a blessing to have all of that has they have the size and the strength the

Speed the IQ to be able to guard multiple positions and we work at it and that’s the that’s the entire component is all those guys are blessed with talent and we we continue to work at it watch it on film and it’s amazing to see

That we can bring in Wing after wing and all of our guys are committed to defending and trying to get out in the open floor and play all right thanks good all is Detroit native Willie Green leaving there for for Fore Fore ohe Fore fore speee Fore for Fore speee spee fore Spe Fore For speech spee Fore Speee Foreign spee speech foree spee Fore

Zion Williamson is in beast mode – ESPN reacts to New Orleans Pelicans beat Detroit Pistons 114-101