Jordan Poole returned from an 18-game absence and New Orleans turned the paint into their personal domain in a statement of offensive dominance. Yves Missi swatted away a putback attempt to set the tone defensively, then Trey Murphy soared for an alley-oop from Poole before Jose Alvarado's relentless hustle play saved a loose ball and found Derik Queen for a thunderous slam. Bryce McGowens capped the highlight reel with a baseline hammer as six Pelicans scored 15-plus points in the 143-120 blowout, setting a franchise record with 86 points in the paint while snapping a seven-game losing streak in emphatic fashion at Smoothie King Center.
