NBA: Pelicans coach lauds Zion's 15-point quarter in win over Jazz
The New Orleans Pelicans' Zion Williamson racked up 15 points in the third quarter as the Utah Jazz were beaten 129-124 in the NBA on Monday.
New Orleans Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy hailed Zion Williamson's 15-point third quarter in Monday's shock win over the Utah Jazz, and again called on the referees to give him more protection.
Williamson claims double-double in 129-124 win for Pelicans
The former number one draft pick was integral to the Pelicans' 129-124 victory over the Western Conference leaders, finishing with a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds to go with five assists.
Utah pulled to within one point with 45 seconds to go before Williamson was ice cool with two free-throws.
The Pelicans got the jump in the third, when they outscored Utah 40-24 and opened up an 11-point buffer at the last change, led by Williamson with his second most prolific quarter in his NBA career to date.
"The third quarter was incredible," Van Gundy told reporters about 20-year-old Williamson post-game. "They did a much better job on him in the fourth. In the third quarter he was overwhelming."
Williamson: "Tonight we wanted it more"
The Pelicans improved to a 15-19 record with the win to stay in the playoffs hunt and Williamson said it was all about their "want".
"We've found ourselves in situations like this all the time," Williamson told Fox post-game after trailing by five at half-time.
"It's a matter of want. Tonight we wanted it more. We came out with better energy in the third and got the win."
Meanwhile, Van Gundy once again lamented the lack of calls that Williamson was receiving from the officials, having made the same point after their loss to the Milwaukee Bucks recently.
"Some day he's going to start to get the calls he deserves to get," the Pelicans coach said. "Any game he's not shooting 10 free-throws or more, I'm guaranteeing they're missing some calls."