Pelicans open preseason with back-to-back wins in Melbourne
Zion Williamson delivered 15 points in New Orleans’ preseason opener against Melbourne United on Friday, the NBA’s first game ever played in Australia. Fellow forward Trey Murphy III added 18 as the Pelicans won the exhibition.
Two days later, Williamson’s defensive presence dominated the rematch. In only 15 minutes, the 24-year-old collected nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks while New Orleans cruised to a 127-92 victory. Eight of his boards came on the defensive end.
Saddiq Bey, returning from an ACL injury, led the scoring Sunday with 21 points in 21 minutes, hitting 4-of-7 from long range and finishing plus-27. “I am just grateful to be out here,” Bey said after the game. “The opportunity to play in Australia is a blessing.”
Head coach Willie Green praised the atmosphere inside John Cain Arena, calling it “electric” and noting the crowd’s engagement throughout the weekend.
Warriors could field unprecedented veteran starting five
Golden State is positioned to become the NBA’s first team to start four players aged 35 or older. The projected lineup features Al Horford (39), Stephen Curry (37), Jimmy Butler (36) and Draymond Green (35). Veteran reserves Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield, both turning 33 this season, would bolster the bench.
Managing minutes will be a priority for head coach Steve Kerr. Curry said the club hopes to avoid another late-season race for playoff positioning. “It felt like every game was a playoff game for two straight months,” the two-time MVP told the San Francisco Chronicle. “Then you transition into a very tough seven-game series and you’re 48 hours from a Round 2, Game 1. It was a very condensed high level of basketball.”
Nuggets experiment with revamped bench unit
With Denver’s starting five set, lead assistant David Adelman has used training camp to mix and match his reserves. The primary second unit has featured Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Julian Strawther, Peyton Watson and Jonas Valanciunas.
Brown, back in Denver after signing as a free agent, likes the early chemistry. “I think we can do everything,” he said. “We’ve got shooters. We’ve got defenders.”
Rookie guard Jalen Pickett has also impressed while running both the second and third groups, according to the Denver Post.
Acquired from Sacramento, Valanciunas has been used as a high-post facilitator similar to Nikola Jokić. Adelman said the staff may surround the veteran center with four smaller players to maximize spacing. “This has been good for him to get used to our system,” Adelman explained. “We’ve gotta get to some post-up plays and things that he’s used to.”
The Nuggets continue preseason play later this week as rotations remain fluid.
Source: Hoops Wire
