The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, beating them 116-103 behind the dominant performances of Trey Murphy and Zion Williamson.
Dejounte Murray chipped in a lot for the Hawks, scoring 23 points and 11 assists, but he was shut down throughout the night by New Orleans’ defense.
Herbert Jones was a crucial part of that defense and Murray praised him after the game.
“Herb Jones is a first-team All-Defensive guy. I love the way that he competes,” Murray said, per Kevin Chouinard.
Dejounte Murray: "Herb Jones is a first-team All-Defensive guy. I love the way that he competes."
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) March 11, 2024
On Sunday night, Jones had 7 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists.
However, he also posted 2 steals and 3 blocks and made the life of multiple Hawks stars incredibly difficult.
This was an important win for New Orleans, who currently have a 39-25 record.
They are the fifth-best team in a very tough Western Conference and only a few games behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the fourth seed.
The Pelicans have gotten a lot better this year for a number of reasons, including Williamson’s return and consistency.
However, the entire roster is doing well in 2023-24, including Jones.
For the season, he is recording 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Jones is doing better in multiple ways and his field goal and three-point percentages have climbed up to 51.4% and 43.5%, respectively.
If the playoffs started today, the Pelicans would have to compete against the Clippers in the first round.
That team is filled with very talented, proven veteran shooters, which means that Jones would have to continue showing just how powerful a defender he is.
He was able to limit the Hawks on Sunday night but would he be able to do that to the Clippers and other teams in the playoffs?
NEXT: Kendrick Perkins Names His Sleeper Team In The Western Conference