Pelicans forward Cheick Diallo keeps rising, sparking Pelicans

NEW ORLEANS — When he arrived in New Orleans as a second round pick in the 2016 draft, little was known about Cheick Diallo.

The 6-9 power forward entered the NBA after a freshman season at the University of Kansas where he played less than eight minutes per game, averaging 3.0 points and 2.5 rebounds. He was raw. Eddie Murphy in a purple leather suit raw. But his potential and athleticism were enticing to Pelicans’ management and to fans.

Now, in his second season, Diallo is starting to fulfill that potential. After playing only 17 games as a rookie, and in just 22 of the New Orleans’ first 49 games this season, he has become an important part of the Pels’ bench rotation.

Since January 30, Diallo is averaging 6.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per game while shooting 58 percent from the floor. All four of his double figure scoring performances have come during this stretch.

“It’s a lot different now, because at the beginning of the season, I was not playing so it’s kind of frustrating,” Diallo said. “To me, I feel like I’m growing as a player right now, defensively and offensively.”

He showed that again Sunday evening, scoring a season-high 17 points (7-of-9 shooting) and grabbing six rebounds in the Pelicans’ 108-89 win over the Boston Celtics. Outside of the stats found in the box score, Diallo played with an infectious energy that helped the reserves not only protect, but increase the Pelicans’ lead when they were on the floor. New Orleans got 44 points from its bench, outpacing the Celtics’ backups by 14.

“He did a great job,” said Pelicans Head Coach Alvin Gentry. “When we were struggling a little bit, he gave us a big boost energy-wise. I thought he did a great job guarding (Greg) Monroe…and then I thought he did a good job getting back on the boards. But just his running in our offense opened up everything. He did a great job of rim-running, which in turn I tought, opened up the game.”

Diallo also entertained about as well as he played. After each score, there was the point to the bench, followed by a raising of the roof or the Wakandan salute, made famous by the blockbuster “Black Panther.” It wasn’t arrogant. It was exuberant, and his teammates loved every minute of it. As the hordes of reporters surrounded Cheick after the game, Rajon Rondo and Anthony Davis could be heard yelling “Wakanda forever” as Diallo tried to answer each question.

“It’s fun to watch,” Davis said regarding Diallo’s growth and love for the game. “He celebrates every different move. He’s definitely fun to watch.”

“It brings energy,” added Jrue Holiday. “Everytime he gets on the court you know you’re going to have energy and that means a lot.”

Coming off of a tough loss to the Houston Rockets less than 20 hours earlier, it wasn’t surprising that New Orleans had trouble getting out the gate against the Celtics. The Pels stumbled their way through the first quarter and trailed 28-20 after 12 minutes.

In the second, Diallo was like a large can of Red Bull, giving the Pels their wings. It started with an emphatic dunk off of a feed from Darius Miller that cut the Celtics’ lead to four. Diallo confidently knocked down back-to-back baseline jumpers and scored on a layup on a personal 6-0 run to keep the Pelicans within striking distance. His 10 points in the period were the most by any player and they helped New Orleans go into the locker room trailing by only two at the half.

After surviving the first half, New Orleans came alive in the second, scoring 35 points in the third quarter to take an 82-76 advantage into the fourth. Diallo scored four in the quarter on a dunk and a layup; both baskets coming after Boston scores.

With most of the starters resting to start the fourth, Diallo and the bench continued to grow the Pelicans’ lead. New Orleans turned a tightly contested game into a rout with Diallo on the floor for all 12 minutes. The Pels held Boston to 13 points in the quarter, with Diallo scoring three points and collecting three boards while helping to limit the Celtics’ front line to 10 points on 4-15 shooting.

After ending the weekend 1-1 after the first two games of a five-game homestand, the Pelicans are going to need Diallo to continue to bring his “A” game each night. While some in his position might see it as daunting, New Orleans’ “Black Panther” sees possibility.

“It’s a great opportunity for me every time I step on the court,” Diallo said. “Every game matters for us right now. Every possession matters, so every time I play, basically I’ve just got to play hard.”

Cheick Diallo playing hard may be the least of the Pelicans’ worries as they try to secure a playoff spot. Right now, the only ones worrying about Cheick Diallo are his opponents.