Zion Sits Late as Pelicans Rally From 25 Down to Stun Rockets
In one of the most dramatic turnarounds of the season, the New Orleans Pelicans erased a 25-point deficit to beat the Houston Rockets in overtime on Thursday night. But the comeback came with a twist: Zion Williamson, the face of the franchise, never saw the floor in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Instead, interim head coach James Borrego stuck with the group that sparked the rally-most notably Sadiq Bey, who poured in a season-high 29 points and played with the kind of energy that can flip a game on its head. Borrego’s decision to ride the hot hand, even at the expense of his superstar, was bold. But on this night, it paid off.
Borrego Leans on Momentum Over Star Power
Since Zion’s return from injury last Sunday against the Bulls, Borrego has brought him off the bench in both games. It’s a move that’s raised some eyebrows, especially considering Williamson’s stature and impact when healthy. But Borrego has made it clear: this isn’t about names on the back of jerseys-it’s about what’s working in the moment.
“That group was rolling,” Borrego said postgame. “These are tough decisions.
It’s gonna be like this every night-who do you go with? And I just… that group had momentum, and I tend to stick with momentum.”
It wasn’t a snap judgment. Borrego noted that there were conversations throughout the second half about making substitutions, but ultimately, he didn’t want to disrupt the rhythm that had brought the Pelicans back into the game.
“We could’ve brought someone in off the bench cold,” he said. “But I thought that group-we had enough timeouts, there was enough rest with the overtime break-to roll with them. And that’s what we did.”
It’s the kind of decision that can define a coach’s tenure, especially when it involves keeping a player of Zion’s caliber on the sidelines during crunch time. But for now, Borrego is backing his instincts-and the results are hard to argue with.
Pelicans Finding Their Groove
Thursday’s win marks the third straight for New Orleans, who suddenly look like a team rediscovering its identity. The energy is up.
The defense is tighter. And players like Bey are stepping into bigger roles with confidence.
The Pelicans will try to keep the momentum rolling Saturday night when they welcome the Indiana Pacers to the Smoothie King Center. Indiana, mired in a three-game skid, has just six wins on the season and will be looking to snap out of its funk.
Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. local time, with coverage airing live on the Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network.
For New Orleans, the question heading into that matchup isn’t just whether they can extend the streak-it’s whether Zion will be part of the closing unit if the game comes down to the wire. For now, Borrego is sticking with what works. And as long as that keeps translating into wins, it’s hard to argue with the results.