![\"NBA,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/GettyImages-2121396307-e1730576380441.jpg\")
File photo\nPelicans<\/p>\n
File photo
\nPelicans<\/p>\n
The Pelicans got a pretty loud reminder of what life is like with Zion Williamson<\/a>\u2026 and without him.<\/p>\n New Orleans managed just 98 points on Saturday while Williamson sat out the second night of a back-to-back.<\/p>\n Two days later? The Pelicans put up 143 on Chicago, eight players in double figures, and their star forward bulldozed his way to 29.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a different team.<\/p>\n Interim coach James Borrego picked up his first win since taking over for Willie Green<\/a> and did it with the kind of across-the-board effort coaches dream about.<\/p>\n \u201cYou couldn\u2019t ask for a better team win when you look at the stat sheet,\u201d Borrego told reporters, via Les East of NOLA.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Pelicans aren\u2019t whole yet, but they looked a lot closer to it with No. 1 back in the mix.<\/p>\n Rockets<\/p>\n Reed Sheppard<\/a>\u2019s numbers didn\u2019t exactly scream \u201cbreakout\u201d on Monday night (2-of-9 from the field in Phoenix, but the box score never tells the whole story.<\/p>\n Sheppard played 27 minutes, handed out five assists, compiled three steals, and the Rockets were plus-six with him on the floor. That\u2019s now eight straight games Houston has won his minutes.<\/p>\n And the shooting? Still elite overall. The 21-year-old guard is at 13.1 points and 3.2 assists on 49 percent shooting and a sizzling 47.1 percent from three.<\/p>\n Translation: Sheppard looks like a guy taking the leap.<\/p>\n \u201cThe real thing is the opportunity he\u2019s getting, and he\u2019s taking advantage of it,\u201d coach Ime Udoka<\/a> said, via William Guillory of The Athletic<\/a>. \u201cWe needed him to take that step this year. He\u2019s really been great.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheppard started in place of Kevin Durant<\/a> on Monday, and with KD out again Wednesday for personal reasons, he may get another run with the first unit.<\/p>\n Grizzlies<\/p>\n Cedric Coward<\/a> just keeps checking boxes.<\/p>\n A few months ago, he was the mystery of the draft \u2014 a late-bloomer with only six Division I games on tape after dealing with a partially torn rotator cuff.<\/p>\n Now? He looks like a rookie Memphis absolutely nailed.<\/p>\n \u201cHe looks completely comfortable at this level,\u201d a Western Conference scout told Grant Afseth of RG.org<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s outperforming even the optimistic projections.\u201d<\/p>\n The Grizzlies traded up to No. 11 to get him, betting his game would translate against real NBA athletes. Early returns say they bet right.<\/p>\n Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?<\/p>\n Be sure to follow Hoops Wire<\/a> on TWITTER<\/a>\u00a0and FACEBOOK<\/a>\u00a0for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!<\/p>\n