New Orleans Pelicans: Tyreke Evans' minutes restriction might be gone after explosion against the Nets

Without Anthony Davis in the lineup, the New Orleans Pelicans found a groove behind an unrestricted Tyreke Evans to beat the Brooklyn Nets 104-95.

There were a lot of positive takeaways for the New Orleans Pelicans from the second half of last night’s 104-95 win over the Nets:

The most important observation of all, though, is what Tyreke Evans was able to do, and how he was able to do it. When he returned to the lineup in December, it was under a 15-minute hard cap. Then, as he eased into form, that limit was upped to 20 minutes. After last night’s 28 minutes, it may have gone away completely.

Evans is a player who is best suited for a secondary role in which he plays in the high twenties minutes-wise. It maximizes his impact as an energetic playmaker and scorer, while mitigating the damage he sometimes does to the team’s defense. So 28 minutes for Evans is about where he should be, regardless of injury. Last night showed why.

In his extended time on the court, Evans put up 29 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals, bringing the Pelicans back from the dead from the second quarter on. In the second half specifically, he took it upon himself to pump the pace and give the Pelicans’ offense life:

His hands were the first place a rebounder looked in transition, and his value last night shows why the Pelicans would be smart to continue pushing his playing time.

Despite their struggles, the 16-24 Pelicans remain in the thick of the playoff hunt, one game behind the Portland Trailblazers. Having a healthy and in-rhythm Evans would be a tremendous boost to a sputtering offense. Last night, he played with everyone from E’Twaun Moore to Jrue Holiday, indicating Gentry’s faith in his versatility and health.

The best takeaway from a needed win isn’t that the team was able to pull out a victory minus their best player; that always has to happen. The most vital piece from the win was that Evans was able to take charge and unlock a second dimension for a team that has named identity as their biggest enemy all season long.