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Keion Brooks Jr. · Postseason hoops likely remains a season or two away for the New Orleans Pelicans, but one certainly wouldn’t have guessed if they only observed the well-executed crunchtime coolness of Keion Brooks Jr. and his floor general on March 30, 2025. Quietly among an exclusive nine-rookie group to average double-digit scoring in 2024-25 — sample size be darned — Brooks looks to sequence a sensational seventh-ever NBA game with victory, using first a matchup-hunting pick-and-roll to imbalance the Charlotte Hornets’ defense. Soon seeing its benefits through a well-timed cut from the dunker’s spot, Brooks banks home a layup, affording the Pelicans a four-point lead in the final seconds. Brooks’ pick-and-roll chemistry alongside his fourth-year point guard became a go-to down the stretch, as New Orleans routinely used it as a clutch bucket hub. Incredibly productive, and with more to come, Brooks recorded a 17-point (on 7-of-12 shooting), eight-rebound, two-assist, two-steal, three-block, one-triple masterclass, introducing himself as of this season’s undrafted gems. · State of Mint