Jordan Poole Returns, Pelicans Start Winning - Coincidence? Probably Not.
The New Orleans Pelicans were stuck in a deep hole - 3-22 and searching for answers. Then Jordan Poole returned, and suddenly, things look a little different.
Two games, two wins. It’s a small sample size, sure, but the energy shift is hard to ignore.
Poole had missed 18 straight games with a quad strain - the longest injury absence of his career - and he didn’t sugarcoat how tough the rehab process was. According to him, the biggest hurdle was simply time.
But he didn’t waste that time. Poole approached his recovery like a full-time job, and now that he's back, the results are speaking for themselves.
Coming off the bench in wins over Portland and Chicago, Poole put up 38 points and seven assists across the two games. More importantly, the Pelicans outscored opponents by 19 points in his 53 minutes on the floor. That’s not just solid production - that’s impact.
Interim head coach James Borrego summed it up best: Poole is a “savvy scorer” who doesn’t need to dominate the ball to change the game. He keeps defenses guessing, applies pressure in quick bursts, and doesn’t force the issue. It’s that kind of offensive versatility that New Orleans has been missing - and now, they’re starting to find their rhythm again.
San Antonio Spurs Lean Into the Learning Curve
The Spurs might not be stacking wins just yet, but they’re stacking experience - and for a young team, that matters.
Rookie Dylan Harper made it clear after a tough loss: the result stung, but the reps under pressure are what this team needs. San Antonio has already been in several close games this season, and those moments are adding up. For a group that’s still figuring out how to win together, these growing pains are part of the process.
There’s also a bigger trend worth watching. Recent NBA Cup runs by teams like Indiana and Oklahoma City were followed by deep playoff pushes.
It raises an interesting question: could early exposure to high-stakes basketball accelerate a young team’s development? If so, the Spurs might be laying the groundwork for something bigger down the line.
Nuggets’ Bench Steps Up in Overtime Win
Denver’s depth got put to the test on Monday - and passed with flying colors.
With injuries thinning the rotation and both centers fouling out, the Nuggets leaned on their bench to grind out a 128-125 overtime win against Houston. Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Spencer Jones were on the floor in crunch time alongside Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson, and they delivered.
Brown pointed to this exact scenario as the reason Denver loaded up on veteran depth during the offseason. When the stars are sidelined or in foul trouble, you need guys who can step in and close games. That’s what they did.
And let’s not forget Jonas Valanciunas. He’s not logging heavy minutes - just 12.8 per game - but he’s already appeared in more contests than Dario Saric did all of last season. As Nikola Jokic’s backup, Valanciunas has brought steady production and reliability, two things that are crucial when managing the minutes of a franchise cornerstone.
Denver is still at its best with Jokic on the court - no surprise there - but the drop-off when he sits has been smaller than in years past. That’s a testament to the front office’s offseason moves and the bench’s ability to deliver when it counts.
Bottom Line
Jordan Poole’s return has injected life into New Orleans. The Spurs are taking their lumps but learning fast.
And in Denver, the bench is proving it can carry the load when needed. December may not decide playoff fates, but it’s where teams start to shape their identity - and right now, all three of these squads are figuring out who they are and what they can be.