The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves back on the wrong side of the scoreboard, falling to the Dallas Mavericks 118–115 in a hard-fought battle. Despite the loss, tonight was the first night that “Borrego Ball” was in full effect.
This game demonstrated exactly what “Borrego Ball” is all about: ball movement, unselfishness, shooting, and pace. New Orleans finished the game with 25 assists, 18 points scored in the fast break, 22 points off turnovers, and 27 threes attempted.
The star of Borrego ball was rookie Derik Queen. Coming off a 30-point performance against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, I wasn’t expecting much from him Friday night against the Mavericks, but boy, I was wrong.
Queen, in the first half alone, recorded eight assists and finished the night with a career high 11 dimes. He was the team’s primary initiator on offense, setting up his teammates in a variety of ways. Whether it was hitting the open cutter, making the flashy pass, or finding the open shooter, he did it all.
Trey Murphy III finished with 25 points and shot an efficient 7/14 from the field. Queen and Murphy III were killing Dallas in the two-man game as the tandem continues to build chemistry, especially when in transition. One play I want to highlight specifically occurred late in the third quarter, when Queen threw a behind-the-back pass that led to an easy slam for Murphy III in transition.
Other performances to highlight
Zion Williamson didn’t have a wildly impressive performance scoring, but he played with a controlled aggressiveness that caused problems for the Mavericks. Z finished with 22 points on an incredibly efficient 77.8 percent from the field.
Even though Derik Queen has been stealing most of the spotlight from the team’s other two rookies over the last several games, both Jeremiah Fears and Micah Peavy played great.
Peavy continues to hold value as one of the team’s best off-ball movers and cutters. He also came up with some key stops defensively, recording one block and one steal in the matchup.
And Fears, on the other hand, continues to thrive, scoring in the full court and using his lightning-quick speed to push the pace, which fits exactly with how James Borrego wants this team to play. He also shot an exceptional 3/4 from three. Giving fans a preview of how dominant he can be offensively when he develops into a more consistent three-point shooter. His great night shooting from beyond the arc led to him tying his career high with 21 points.
Tonight wasn’t just about the result—it was about James Borrego’s vision finally materializing on the court. The pace, the unselfishness, the spacing, and the trust were all there.
