New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte' Graham (4) defends Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte' Graham (4) shoots over Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) for two points during the game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte' Graham (4) shoots over Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) for two points during the game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
Devonte’ Graham had a cold shooting night Monday in his return to Charlotte, where he spent the first three seasons of his career.
He missed seven of the eight shots he took, including all five 3-pointers.
Graham normally wears his hair in braids. But after that cold spell, he made a change. He let his hair loose Thursday as the Pelicans began a three-game homestand.
Rocking a new look, Graham played free. He scored a season-high 30 points as the Pelicans got a 126-109 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Graham buried five 3-pointers, including a deep pull-up from straight on with 6:54 remaining that came in the midst of New Orleans’ fourth-quarter flurry.
“He can’t change his hair now after scoring 30," coach Willie Green said. "Hopefully, next game he’ll have that same look. He was aggressive. He shot the ball extremely well. This was a big-time win for us.”
Together, Graham and Jose Alvarado — the two smallest players on the Pelicans’ roster — spurred New Orleans to a 17-4 run in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte' Graham (4) defends Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) during the game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Thursday, March 24, 2022. (Photo by David Grunfeld, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
The Pelicans (31-42) won for the third time in four games. They pulled ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, whom they face Sunday, for ninth place in the West. They also expanded their lead over the 11th-place San Antonio Spurs to two games. The Pelicans and Spurs play Saturday in a game that has important implications in the West's play-in tournament race.
Graham said one of his friends chided him for playing without confidence lately.
“My homeboy told me I lost my swagger," Graham said. "I kind of took that to heart and came out and played how I should be playing.”
The Pelicans and Bulls were both missing stars. Chicago MVP candidate DeMar DeRozan sat out because of a strained left adductor. Brandon Ingram missed his ninth consecutive game with a right hamstring strain for the Pelicans.
With those two on the bench, Zach LaVine and CJ McCollum still produced fireworks early on. LaVine scored 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the first half. McCollum had 13 points at the break, and he finished with 25.
The New Orleans Pelicans host the Chicago Bulls at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans Thursday March 24, 2022.
New Orleans opened the second half on a 7-0 run. Rookie Trey Murphy capped the third quarter with two exclamation points. First, he buried a corner 3-pointer, which put the Pelicans ahead by one. Then, with time about to expire, he grabbed an offensive rebound and exploded to the rim for a dunk.
“That was huge for us," Green said. "I’m on Trey a lot, and he knows that. I’m on him because he’s the type of player that can be really good for us.”
Thursday’s win was a team effort. New Orleans’ bench players combined for 42 points.
Larry Nance Jr., who missed nearly six weeks after arthroscopy surgery on his right knee, made his debut with the Pelicans. He looked spry in his first game since Jan. 5. Nance tallied nine points and four rebounds in 18 minutes. He also had an emphatic rejection of a Tristan Thompson shot in the third quarter.
Green said he expects Nance to play a big role for the Pelicans during the stretch run.
“He was great," Green said. "Little rusty with some of his floaters and touch. But he picked it up as the game progressed."
The Bulls pulled within seven points late, but Graham drove to the basket, got fouled and scored with 3:27 left. His teammates patted his hair after the make.
“I used to have this nappy hair in college," Graham said. "I guess everybody is surprised by it now. But it’s the same nappy head I had at KU (Kansas).”
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