Pelicans 105, Kings 98: Brandon Ingram 24 points | Play-in postgame wrap

Being part of a deep New Orleans rotation has meant their roles have fluctuated lately from week to week and even game to game, but Jonas Valanciunas and Naji Marshall, among others, delivered in a big way when their names were called Friday. As a result, the Pelicans are headed to the playoffs and a first-round series vs. Oklahoma City. Valanciunas rumbled to a double-double against Sacramento, while Marshall provided a big jolt of energy off the bench, as did center Larry Nance Jr. and guard Jose Alvarado. The Pelicans relied on major contributions from many to beat the Kings for a sixth consecutive time in 2023-24 (and a second time without Zion Williamson). New Orleans advanced to the playoffs for the second time over a three-year span, the first time the club has done that since 2009 and 2011.

Two-headed monster at center.
Facing elite center Domantas Sabonis, it was reasonable to expect the Kings would hold at least a statistical upper hand at the position, but Valanciunas and Nance combined for 32 points and 16 rebounds. Valanciunas powered into the paint for 19 points and 12 rebounds (six at the offensive end), continuing his run of similar effectiveness against Sacramento all season. Sabonis went for 23 and 14, but beyond he and De'Aaron Fox (35 points), the Kings didn't get enough production to stay close during several portions of the game.
Knifing into the playoffs.
Marshall’s aggression in 24 minutes off the bench was embodied by a defensive play where he pulled the ball out of a prone Keegan Murray’s hands, raced to the other end and threw down a fast-break dunk. The fourth-year forward made a major impact in shifting the momentum toward the Pelicans, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Not surprisingly to anyone who watched Friday, he posted a team-best plus-17.
BI’s third game back.
It took a little time for the New Orleans offense and Brandon Ingram to get rolling Friday, but he eventually found a groove on his way to 24 points on 10/20 shooting from the field. It was his best performance since returning from a March 21 knee injury; he logged 37 minutes in his third game. Coincidentally, his 24/6/6 stat line was very similar to the 27/6/6 he put up in his first NBA playoff series vs. Phoenix in 2022.

1: Team in NBA history with a record of 49-33 or better that have missed the playoffs (the 1971-72 Phoenix Suns). New Orleans avoided becoming the second.
29-21: New Orleans advantage in assists, led by six apiece from Ingram and Trey Murphy.
9: New Orleans steals, with two apiece by Alvarado, Nance and Marshall.