In the heart of the Smoothie King Center, with the clock bleeding its final seconds, the New Orleans Pelicans found themselves in a familiar, gut-wrenching position. Down by two, the weight of another loss pressing down, the crowd held its collective breath. This is where heroes are forged or hopes are dashed. On this night, it was Jose Alvarado who stepped into the fire.
With just 16 seconds left, Alvarado, the undrafted sparkplug from Brooklyn who has stolen the city’s heart, pulled up from beyond the arc. The ball left his fingertips and sailed through the electric air, a perfect arc of defiance and hope. Swish. The crowd erupted. The Pelicans had clawed their way back, securing a nail-biting 116-112 victory over the Charlotte Hornets for their first win of the season.
It was a moment of pure, unadulterated basketball joy, a pressure-release valve for a team playing without its superstar, Zion Williamson, who was sidelined with a hamstring strain. The win wasn’t just a mark in the W column; it was a statement of resilience, a testament to the depth and fight of this New Orleans Pelicans squad.
The Unlikely Heroes Emerge
Without Williamson and with the Hornets missing their own star, LaMelo Ball, the stage was set for others to step up. And step up they did. Trey Murphy III, cool and collected, led the scoring charge with 21 points, his smooth stroke from deep keeping the Pelicans afloat when the offense sputtered. Saddiq Bey, a crucial bench addition, chipped in a vital 17 points, providing the scoring punch exactly when it was needed most.
But the story of the night, beyond Alvarado’s game-winner, was the stunning fourth-quarter emergence of rookie Derik Queen. The big man, acquired in a draft-night trade, had been quiet. Then, the final period began, and it was as if a switch had been flipped. Queen was everywhere, a force of nature in the paint, scoring all 12 of his points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists in a performance that had the arena buzzing.
Alvarado knew what the rookie was capable of. “Stop thinking out there and just play your game,” he revealed he told Queen. “You were No. 13, but you’re really a top-five pick… Go show that. That’s what he did today.”
A Game of Swings and Heartbreak
It was anything but an easy night. The Hornets, led by Miles Bridges’ 22 points and a gritty double-double from rookie Kon Knueppel (20 points, 12 rebounds), looked poised to steal one on the road. They stormed out of halftime with an 11-0 run, seizing a lead they would protect for nearly the entire second half. Their defense was stifling, their execution sharp, and for long stretches, the New Orleans Pelicans looked lost.
The New Orleans Pelicans struggled to find their rhythm, with starters Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney having particularly tough nights, finishing with a combined -23 plus/minus. The offense felt disjointed, the ball stuck, and the home crowd grew restless.
But Coach Willie Green turned to his bench, and they answered the call. Alvarado (+21), Bey (+8), Queen (+13), and Karlo Matkovic (+13) completely changed the energy of the game. They played with a desperate, beautiful chaos that Charlotte couldn’t match. They forced turnovers, dove for loose balls, and, most importantly, they never stopped believing.
The final moments were a blur of high-stakes basketball. Nine fourth-quarter turnovers from the Hornets opened the door, and the New Orleans Pelicans, smelling blood, barged right through it. Alvarado’s dagger was the culmination of a fourth-quarter comeback built on pure grit. For the Hornets, it was a brutal collapse, a lesson in how quickly a game can slip away.
After the game, a triumphant Alvarado soaked in the adoration. “The crowd is the best thing,” he said, the emotion clear in his voice. “Regardless of the situation, they’ve always shown love. I want to perform as much as I can for them. They had my back.”
On this night, Jose Alvarado had theirs, and the New Orleans Pelicans are finally, deservedly, in the win column.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
