Adjacent enough on the scoreboards to keep Portland within a bird’s eye view, yet too far to completely reach them, the New Orleans Pelicans — in the game’s final quarter — discovered a quite poetic method to hawking down the opposition. Making his buttery-smooth catch-and-shoot style one of the night’s constants, Jordan Hawkins presents it once more, initially through a lightning-quick zip across the 3-point arc, leaving the Blazers fittingly trailing behind. Confident in his chances at a 27-footer, Hawkins connects, maintaining flow in a magical final period that oversaw a 15-point outburst by his lonesome. Such buckets became a common theme on October 25, 2024, with the former Husky making himself skinny on off-ball cuts and high-IQ movements before connecting on scores from both perimeter levels. Hawkins’ red-hot night would conclude with 24 points (on 8-of-12 shooting), five rebounds, and four 3-pointers, helping New Orleans overcome the Trail Blazers in a battle that saw them in tie-or-trail mode for 44 of a possible 48 minutes. · Oct 26, 2024