The New Orleans Pelicans remain winless in the James Borrego era after falling 125-118 to the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokić did what he always does: he filled the stat sheet with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 12 dimes, but there was someone on the Pelicans who looked like baby Jokić. Dirk Koningin. On a night when Zion Williamson returned after an eight-match absence due to a hamstring injury, Queen’s play deserved to steal all the headlines.
The Pelicans’ new big man ended the evening with one career-high 30 points, nine rebounds, four assists and also two thefts and two blocks.
Every time Queen takes the field, he plays with more confidence and comfort than the night before. This DQ performance not only stole the show, but also highlighted the unreal All-Star potential he has.
For most of the Queen’s 30 minutes against Denver, he operated as offensive huband when things went through him, the team flowed. His ability to be a threat not only by scoring the ball, but also by setting up his teammates made it incredibly difficult for the Nuggets to plan their play.
It was fun to watch Queen do the same things offensively and cause the same problems for the Nuggets that Jokić does to his opponents every night. It also highlighted how versatile an offense can be when you have a big man who can play and create for others the way Queen does.
Say what you want, but the Pelicans accepted this Draft
People want to criticize the future of the Pelicans and the decisions the front office made this summer. But you can’t take one thing away from them: Troy Weaver and Joe Dumars knocked it out of the park this Draft.
The team’s two lottery picks, Queen and Jeremiah Fears, look like future All-Stars and are ranked in the top seven of the NBA’s newest rookie ladder. And second-round pick Micah Peavy is playing like someone who will simply stay in the NBA because of his elite talent on defense. Obviously, they played just 15 games into the three-on-three season in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Fears finished the night against Denver with 16 points, three rebounds and one assist on 46.7 percent shooting from the field. Peavy had nine points, three rebounds and one assist, while also putting in an unreal effort defensively.
On Wednesday evening, the Pelicans’ rookies proved that they belong and that they are the future of basketball in New Orleans. So no matter how doom and gloom things look right now, as long as Queen, Peavy, and Fears are at the helm, the franchise is in good hands.
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