STORY: ‘He was my generation’s Michael Jordan’: What Kobe Bryant meant to the Pelicans theathletic.com/1563592/2020/0…

Five things (#Pelicans players pay tribute to Kobe Bryant; watch reaction from Gentry, Zion, Lonzo, Jrue, Ingram; @FOXSportsNOLA postgame interview with Jrue): on.nba.com/312jetV

Science can tell us how but they can’t tell us why

Podcast is finished. Will be posed at 12:05 am. I am ready to go to bed now.

On the radio @dsallerson mentioned a Kobe game from a number of years ago. Then-Hornets blew a 25 point lead. Kobe put up 42 espn.com/nba/game?gameI…

Got some street food after the game. Didn’t have cash. Guy told me to go across the street and get him a double Crown and a beer as compensation. I really live here now.

#Pelicans roster has numerous connections to Lakers, So. California (as well as UCLA). Several players gave tributes to Kobe Bryant during Sunday's game (pictured: Lonzo Ball's sneakers) and later spoke about what the legendary guard meant to them. Story: on.nba.com/38DCznZ pic.twitter.com/4VxMv8SfVb

Lonzo Ball assisted on 4 of the 9 shots Zion made.

“We knew that they was gonna help coming off the shooter," Ball said about the inbounds play that led to the oop. "We run that play a lot. I just told Z to slip out and threw it up to him.” pic.twitter.com/kDa73mMCbU

Jrue Holiday might get Kobe quote of the night in NOLA:

"I guess in my heart, Kobe would want us to beat the Celtics, so that was a good win."

“Every time you shoot into a trash can, you’re yelling, ‘Kobe.' Every single time." nola.com/sports/pelican…

Lonzo Ball on being a point guard playing with Zion (21 pts, 11 reb in 27 mins): "He's an easy target to get the ball to. He's also mobile, so I can give it to him on the run, post-up, pick-and-roll. He can do a lot of different things with the basketball."

Jrue on Zion: "You can tell, especially tonight, he's a lot more comfortable. Everything is a process. For him, hopefully he feels like he's doing what he wants to do (physically) and going where he wants to go. Believe me, I know it's hard to play with minute restrictions."

Jrue Holiday talked about how much Kobe Bryant meant to him as a kid growing up in Southern California. Jrue noted, “in my heart (I was thinking) Kobe would want us to beat the Celtics.”

Jrue Holiday says his first Kobe experience in the NBA was playing against him back in his hometown of LA during his rookie year.

Kobe hit him with a pump fake and he had to get six stitches. Classic Kobe.

Jrue Holiday’s first memory of playing Kobe Bryant was receiving six stitches. Jrue has bitten on one of Kobe’s famous pump fakes.

Zion Williamson gives his thoughts on Kobe Bryant’s passing. Said it was hard to focus when the game started tonight. pic.twitter.com/LuxLvVcyje

As he wraps up his postgame media session, Alvin Gentry: “Thanks guys. I’m sorry. I wish I had more for you, but it’s been a tough tough day.” He then gives his personal thoughts on the passing of Kobe Bryant.

#Pelicans play solid game from start to finish, including this time in the minutes Zion Williamson is off the floor, en route to 123-108 home win over Celtics. Jrue 25 pts; Lonzo 15 ast; Zion 21-11 in 27 mins. Postgame wrap: on.nba.com/2GopsuJ pic.twitter.com/ony6sUoH5p

Lonzo Ball over the last 14 games:

15 ppg
7.4 rpg
9.6 apg
41% FG
38% 3PT
8 games with 10+ assists

Zion had 21 and 11. He closed a game for the first time. It all felt insignificant with what happened earlier in the day. nola.com/sports/pelican…

FINAL: Pelicans 123, Celtics 108.

The first win of the Zion Era.

New Orleans logs a quality win at home, knocking off the 30-14 Celtics thanks to a dominating first half.

Lonzo Ball sets career high with 15 assists.

Zion Williamson gets his first victory, a 123-108 win over the Celtics. He finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Pelicans as whole though had nice bounce back performance. Jrue Holiday was great in the 2nd half with 25 points and Lonzo Ball sets career high in assists with 15.

Final: Pelicans 123, Celtics 108

Holiday 25 pts & 6 rebs, Zion 21 pts & 11 rebs, Ball 8 pts & 15 assts (career-high).

Zion gets the first win of his career against a really good opponent to get the Pels out of their recent slump. Their record stands at 18-29.

Zion (19 years, 204 days) just missed being the youngest Pels player to ever register a double-double.

Jaxson Hayes did it earlier this year when he was 19 years, 178 days old.

Zion will finish with 21 and 11 in 27 mins. More importantly, first win in #NBA

Zion with another putback to give him 19 & 10. The first double-double of his career.

Boston is waving the white flag, subbing out all their starter sixth 1:11 left.

Pels up 119-108

Brad Stevens is waving the white flag, bringing in 5 subs at the 1:12 mark and the Pelicans leading 119-108

BI finds Zion this time for a dunk and an and-one.

Zion misses the free throw but he's got 17 points and 9 rebounds.

Lonzo is a special passer.

There are some nights when it seems this team really has potential to be something.

So many of the pieces are net positives and occasionally they click.

Derrick Favors with a great block on one end, after a quick post entry, Zion Williamson easily beats the Celtics for two points. Pelicans lead 117-106 with 2:30 left.

Lonzo kick ahead to Zion for the layup. Lonzo has 15 assists, a new career-high.

Credit that Jrue Holiday 3 to Zion Williamson for swinging the ball immediately back out to the perimeter upon getting doubled in the post. Have to think the coaches pointed that out to him while he was on the bench because earlier in the game he wasn't reading doubles correctly.

Zion checks in, Pels immediately get a stop and a 3 from Jrue. Timeout Celtics.

Pels lead 115-101 with 4:05 left.

Closing Zion. 👀

Zion will close a game for the first time. Subs in for his fifth stint. Pelicans going with him, Ball, Holiday, Ingram and Favors for the final 4:30.

Zion Williamson, with 23 minutes played, is back in the game at the 4:30 mark of the 4th quarter.

Lonzo aggressive drives, love to see it, His alley oop to Favors gives Lonzo 13 ast

Zion's coming back in...

Gentry is challenging the foul against Lonzo on that last Kemba 3-point attempt. Looked like Zo got a hand on Kemba's hip, but it wasn't that egregious.

We'll see if the refs agree.

Pelicans have done good job of offsetting bad turnovers & missed free throws w/ timely buckets since the Celtics have made this game in the range of 10 points here in the 2nd half. Josh Hart just nailed a corner three. Pels up 108-96, but Gentry challenging a foul on Lonzo Ball.

Alvin Gentry challenging a three-shot foul call vs. Lonzo Ball against Kemba Walker. On replay not only did it look like minimal if any contact, but Ball was pushed toward Walker by Boston's Daniel Theis

Brandon Ingram drills a big three-pointer, his third in four tries, and extends the Pelicans lead to 105-91 with 7:12 left.

Jorge Sedano says there’s a chance Zion can play a second “burst” in the fourth quarter and finish the game.

Pels are sitting Zion with 8:20 left. Looks like they'll sit him here so they can have a chance to bring him back later to close the game.

Celtics cut the Pels lead to six after an and-one by Marcus Smart, but JJ Redick hit a 3 and Zion made another layup to make the score 102-91 with 8:20 left.

Zion has 13 pts & 9 rebs on 6-12 shooting. Redick has 17 off the bench.

Couple momentum-turning plays by JJ Redick after Celtics had closed to within 5. Lonzo makes a heads-up pass to fire ball back inbound to Zion for layup. NOP 102-91 at 8:20. Zion 13 pts, 9 reb in 23 mins

After coming up with two steals, the Pelicans blow consecutive lay-ins at the other end. First, Josh Hart and then JJ Redick. Meanwhile Boston gets a lay-in and the Pelicans lead is down to 97-91... scratch that, Redick just drilled a three. 100-91 lead now for New Orleans.

I can’t understand why it matters from a medical perspective if Zion plays the first six minutes or the last six minutes of a game.

Here is the problem with Zion Williamson playing the five this early in his career: the Celtics have registered two dunks in their last two possessions.

Pelicans lead is down to 95-87 with 10:22 left in the game.