NBA Notes: Pelicans, Jordan Poole, Spurs, Dylan Harper, Nuggets

Pelicans

Jordan Poole is back, and the Pelicans are suddenly winning games.

New Orleans has gone 2-0 since Poole returned from a quad strain after missing 18 games, the longest injury absence of his career. The Pelicans were 3-22 before his return. They are unbeaten since.

Poole admitted the rehab tested his patience, saying the injury simply needed time more than anything else. He said he treated the layoff like a full-time job so he could make an impact once cleared.

That impact has shown up quickly. Poole came off the bench in wins over Portland and Chicago, scoring 38 points with seven assists across the two games. The Pelicans outscored their opponents by 19 points during his 53 minutes on the floor.

Interim coach James Borrego called Poole a “savvy scorer” who keeps constant pressure on defenses and can swing games in short bursts without forcing the action.

Spurs

San Antonio is taking lessons from early adversity.

After falling on the wrong side of a high-stakes game, rookie Dylan Harper said the experience matters more than the result. Harper said the Spurs have already played in a number of close games this season and believe those moments are helping shape the group.

Kevin Pelton of ESPN also noted a recent trend worth watching. Recent NBA Cup runs by Indiana and Oklahoma City were followed by deep playoff success, raising the question of whether the Spurs’ early exposure to pressure could pay off later.

Nuggets

Depth carried Denver on Monday.

With injuries piling up and both centers fouled out, the Nuggets leaned on their bench to secure a 128-125 overtime win over Houston. Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Spencer Jones closed the game alongside Jamal Murray and Cameron Johnson.

Brown said this was exactly why Denver brought in veteran depth during the offseason.

Jonas Valanciunas also continues to justify that approach. Though limited to 12.8 minutes per game, the veteran center has already appeared in more games than Dario Saric did last season and has provided steady production as Nikola Jokic’s backup.

Denver is still better with Jokic on the floor, but the numbers show the drop-off has been smaller than it has been in years.