Pelicans shoot the lights out in blowout win over Clippers

With the next eight games against opponents with records over .500, the New Orleans Pelicans needed to raise the level of play with an elite team in the Los Angeles Clippers in town Sunday night.

To say that New Orleans raised its level of play to meet the opposition would be accurate. It would be an understatement.

The Pelicans dominated from start to finish in a convincing 135-115 victory in a game that wasn’t even that close.

New Orleans shot 65 percent from the field, the best shooting percentage in the NBA this season in a single game, sinking 53-of-81 field goal attempts.

The first quarter was a maestro performing a virtuoso performance. The Pelicans took a 36-24 lead on the strength of 14-of-21 shooting (66.7%) on 11 assists and holding the Clippers to 25 percent shooting (2-of-8) from 3-point range.

Lonzo Ball was 4-of-4 from the field, including 3-of-3 from 3-point range for 11 points in just eight minutes played.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker limped off the floor early in the second quarter with what appeared to be an ankle injury.

The Pelicans maintained the lead at 67-57 at halftime. Ball finished with 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in the half while Zion Williamson had 13 points and three assists. Jaxson Hayes had nine points and three rebounds off the bench.

Any thought of a comeback by the Clippers dissipated quickly as the Pelicans opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run and never looked back.

New Orleans continued its hot shooting in the second quarter, connecting on 11-of-19 (57.9%) to finish the half 25-of-40 (61.5%). The only issue was the Pelicans committed 12 turnovers and the Clippers scored 17 points off those turnovers.

If you thought the incredible shooting could not possibly continue, as I did, think again. The Pelicans shot it even better in the third quarter, sinking 17-of-22 field goal attempts (77%) to improve to 42-of-62 (67.2%) for the game. New Orleans scored 43 points in the quarter and committed just one turnover. It was the second most points in a quarter this season for the Pelicans.

With both teams clearing the bench in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans coasted to victory and rested starters. The 65 percent shooting included 12-of-26 (46.2%) from 3-point range and 17-of-21 (81%) from the free throw line. The 65 percent from the field was the second best in franchise history.

The Pelicans won the boards, per usual, by a 40-32 margin. After committing 12 turnovers in the first half, New Orleans reduced that to seven in the second half. The Pelicans destroyed the Clippers 72-40 on points in the paint.

The renaissance of Jaxson Hayes continued as he scored a season high 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting from the field and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

It was the fourth game in double figures for Hayes in his last five games after he sat four straight games while Billy Hernangomez got the reserve center minutes behind Steven Adams.

Williamson finished with 27 points in 32 minutes, making 13-of-16 shots from the field (81%) with five assists. Brandon Ingram had 23 points, five assists and four rebounds in just 26 minutes. Ball finished with 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Josh Hart had 13 points, six assists and five rebounds.

How can you explain this team?

The same team, playing on the same floor, lost by 30 points to the worst team in the league off a week’s worth of rest.

A few nights later, the Pelicans took apart a good team in the Clippers, just after destroying Cleveland.

New Orleans had great ball movement, sharing the ball all night and coming up with 38 assists on 53 made shots from the field.

New Orleans hits the road for a 3-game road trip, beginning with the first of two straight games at Portland on Tuesday night.

Which team will show up? The one that got swamped by the terrible Timberwolves or the one that whipped the terrific Clippers? You try to figure it out.