We have a first double break in the Playoffs. For some of you, this is a surprise, but New Orleans Pelicans have beaten the Blazers the second time. At Rose Garden. In both games, Pelicans were simply better, had the lead for the most of the game. Blazers were struggling, especially Lillard who again played an awful game.
In the first quarter, both teams were close to each other, but the Blazers led at the halftime. They were 5 points ahead, but then the problems started. Nurkic and Turner picked up an injury. Especially bad was Nurkic’s injury. He limped off the court into the locker room in the third quarter. Later he returned to the bench and he iced his knee. But he didn’t return to the game.
Key player for the Pelicans wasn’t Davis. It’s odd when Davis isn’t the best or even second best player on the Pelicans. This game was orchestrated by an excellent Pelicans backcourt Rondo-Holiday. Holiday was simply amazing. He played an outstanding defense on Lillard and McCollum and was ruthless on the other side. Scored his playoff best 33 points with 9 assists. His time finally has come.
Last year Jrue Holiday stepped away from the NBA to care for his pregnant wife, Lauren Holiday, who suffered from a brain tumor.
Tonight he scored 33 points and put the Pelicans up 2-0 on the Blazers pic.twitter.com/gMSwjtD583
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 18, 2018
His “partner in crime” was Rajon Rondo. Playoff Rondo is back. After he had 17 assists in the first game, now he almost got a triple-double. 16 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists for the playmaker including the three pointer which decided the winner, late in the game.
Rajon Rondo (16 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST) fell a dime short of a triple-double as the @PelicansNBA won Game 2 for a 2-0 series lead!#DoItBigger pic.twitter.com/0MTbvV1bdF
— NBA (@NBA) April 18, 2018
Davis was only the third best player in the Pelicans. He scored 22 points and Mirotic added 16. McCollum showed signs of life on the Blazers team with 22 points and Aminu scored 14 points with 15 rebounds.
