YouTube Gold: Knicks vs. Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans and the New York Knicks played again Sunday afternoon, and that means another professional get-together for former Blue Devils Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett.

And like last time, Barrett’s Knicks got the best of Williamson’s Pelicans, winning 122-112 in overtime.

About that overtime.

Pel’s coach Stan Van Gundy was furious about a defensive lapse in the closing seconds: instead of fouling, New Orleans allowed former UNC player Reggie Bullock to hit a three pointer and the Knicks cleaned up in OT.

New Orleans has gathered experience with James Johnson (34), Eric Bledsoe (31) and Steven Adams (27), but it’s still a young team. Kira Lewis is 19, Jaxson Hayes and Williamson 20, Nickel Alexander-Walker 22, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram 23 and Josh Hart 26.

They’ll see better days, plus the Pelicans will almost certainly have a lottery pick and could pick up another useful player.

That’s for another day.

Williamson finished with 34 points on 13-23 from the floor and 8-11 from the line. He also had nine boards, five assists and two steals.

Teammate Brandon Ingram had 19 point, four boards and four assists.

For the Knicks, Barrett finished with 18 points, four boards and two assists.

As you’ll see in the final play in regulation, the one Van Gundy was mad about, New York’s Kevin Knox failed to set a screen for Derrick Rose. Eric Bledsoe slipped by and should have fouled Rose, but didn’t. When he headed down the lane, having beat Bledsoe, Lonzo Ball came back to cut him off, which left Bullock open to barbecue the Pelicans.

None of the former Blue Devils were involved in that mistake, but Williamson bore some responsibility for the loss. As you’ll see here, he let New York’s Randle take at least four shots that were barely contested when he’s fully capable of shutting him down. We’re sure he’s already heard about it.

Here are highlights from the game. Defense aside, Williamson was his normal brilliant self offensively.