Lonzo Ball, Pelicans Hold Off RJ Barrett, Knicks for Win in Final Preseason Game

The New Orleans Pelicans finished the preseason undefeated after beating the New York Knicks 117-116 on Friday at Madison Square Garden.

Seven Pelicans finished with double-digit points, led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Josh Hart with 17 apiece.

The balanced scoring effort helped New Orleans lead wire-to-wire, although the Pels withstood a 15-4 Knicks run in the final 3:33 to seal the win.

New York shot a trio of game-winning three-point attempts in the final 33.4 seconds, but all of them missed, including a game-ending try from Knicks center Julius Randle.

New Orleans was without star rookie forward Zion Williamson, who will miss a "period of weeks" with a right knee injury, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Woj also reported the "Pels are clearly treating [the] injury with an abundance of caution, but there's no shortage of confidence on [a] full recovery."

RJ Barrett, who was the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2019, scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half. New York finished its exhibition schedule with a 1-3 record.

Notable Performances

Pelicans F Brandon Ingram: 16 points (5-of-12 shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 assists 

Pelicans G Lonzo Ball: 9 points (3-of-7 shooting), 3 rebounds, 3 assists

Pelicans G Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 17 points (7-of-11 shooting)

Knicks F RJ Barrett: 19 points (9-of-12 shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 assists

Knicks C Julius Randle: 20 points (7-of-19 shooting), 9 rebounds, 5 assists

Knicks G Allonzo Trier: 17 points (5-of-12 shooting)

Alexander-Walker Shines Yet Again

The Pels' odds to win the NBA title are 100-1, per Caesars, so chances are the team isn't about to embark on a championship run in the first year of the Williamson era.

However, New Orleans' depth is going to be a significant problem for opponents, and a postseason appearance isn't out of the question.

The team has a diverse collection of talent, including a sweet-shooting veteran in JJ Redick and a couple of exciting and versatile young players in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram.

However, rookie Nickeil Alexander-Walker may be the best Pelican not named Williamson. At the least, he looks like a massive steal after being taken 17th overall in the 2019 draft (the recent NBA GM survey even said as much).

Alexander-Walker might be a sleeper candidate for Rookie of the Year with the way he's been playing this preseason, and he left many people impressed after Friday:

The rookie's smooth offensive play was on full display, and he was clutch in the fourth quarter with 10 points:

The Pels needed all of Alexander-Walker's 17 points in just 19 minutes, and it looks like the team will be going places with his scoring production off the bench.

Alexander-Walker has averaged 15.4 points in 18.6 minutes per night this preseason, and he's been efficient from deep (46.7 percent) and added 4.0 assists per night.

Losing Williamson for a few weeks is a tough blow, but New Orleans can stay afloat if Alexander-Walker continues his torrid pace into the regular season. The Pels can counter other teams with tremendous depth, highlighted by the ex-Virginia Tech star's breakout play.

RJ Barrett Saves His Best for Last

RJ Barrett received no votes to win Rookie of the Year honors in the annual GM survey conducted by NBA.com.

Granted, that award looks like Williamson's to lose even if he misses time at the beginning of the year, but Barrett will at least be on the periphery of the conversation based off how he bounced back Friday after an up-and-down preseason.

Barrett's shot hadn't been falling in his first three games. He went just 16-of-42 for a 38.1 percent success rate. 

That's to be expected for someone navigating his way around the league, but the 19-year-old dominated in his final preseason showing, going 8-of-10 for 17 points in the first half alone. He kept the Knicks in it on a night in which the Pels seemingly couldn't miss save for the closing stretch.

Joseph Flynn of Posting and Toasting noted that Barrett was doing this work against a standout perimeter defender in Ball:

Most importantly, Barrett's basketball IQ is undoubtedly impressive for someone who hasn't played a regular-season game. Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic pointed out two plays in particular:

It's clear the training wheels are off given Barrett's playing time, which should translate into the regular season. Knicks head coach David Fizdale seems to have a hard time placing him on the bench at least:

There will be significant growing pains for Barrett and a Knicks team that Caesars pegs with a 28-win over/under, but early signs indicate there may be light at the end of the long and dark tunnel for Knicks fans.

What's Next?

The Pelicans will play in the NBA's season-opening game on Tuesday when they visit the defending champion Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.

The Knicks will visit the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center for their 2019-20 debut Wednesday.