The New Orleans Pelicans finally broke free from their tailspin, crushing the Chicago Bulls 143-130 at Smoothie King Center on Monday night, November 24, 2025. The win wasn’t just a stat fix—it was a lifeline. After nine straight losses, the Pelicans’ season had slipped into freefall, and their interim coach, James Borrego, was running out of time to prove he could turn things around. Then came Zion Williamson. The 24-year-old forward exploded for 29 points, matching his season high, and reminded everyone why he’s still the most electrifying force in the NBA when healthy. The crowd roared as the final buzzer sounded, the first standing ovation since November 5—their last win, before the collapse began.

A Team That Finally Showed Up

The Pelicans didn’t just win—they dominated from the opening tip. They opened with six straight fastbreak points, forcing Chicago into early panic. By the end of the first quarter, New Orleans had already hit six of eight three-pointers and went 8-of-13 in the restricted area. It wasn’t luck. It was execution. And it was contagious. Eight players reached double figures, something the Pelicans hadn’t done all season. Saddiq Bey chipped in 20 points and 14 rebounds. Trey Murphy added 20. Yves Missi matched Bey with 14 boards. Even Jose Alvarado, the team’s undersized spark plug, dropped 16. This wasn’t one star carrying the load. It was a full roster finally playing like a team.

The Bulls’ Defense Crumbled Again

Chicago came in with a 9-8 record, looking like a playoff contender. But their defense—already ranked among the league’s worst over the past week—collapsed under the weight of New Orleans’ rhythm. Ayo Dosunmu led all scorers with 28 points, and Coby White added 24, but their efforts were drowned out by the Pelicans’ offensive avalanche. The Bulls shot 20-of-50 from three, an impressive clip, but it wasn’t enough when the other end was pouring in 51% from the field. They were outrebounded 58-36, a 22-rebound deficit that screams volume, not just effort. Without Nikola Vučević, their anchor in the paint, the Bulls had no answer for Missi or Bey inside. And without rim protection, the Pelicans attacked the basket with terrifying ease.

Halftime Breakdown: The Turning Point

By halftime, the Pelicans were up 74-58. The free-throw disparity told the story: New Orleans shot 14-of-17; Chicago managed just 2-of-6. That’s not a coincidence. It’s aggression. It’s confidence. It’s a team that finally believed it could win. Williamson’s late finger-roll just before the buzzer felt symbolic—a quiet exclamation point on a half where the Pelicans refused to let Chicago back in. The lead stretched to 22 in the second quarter after Trey Murphy’s three-point play, and for the first time all season, fans weren’t holding their breath—they were celebrating.

Borrego’s First Win: A Glimmer of Hope

James Borrego took over after Willie Green was fired on November 14, when the Pelicans were 2-10. Six games later, he got his first win. No one expected miracles overnight. But this? This was a blueprint. Borrego didn’t make a single lineup change from the previous game. He just let them play. And they did—freely, fearlessly, together. "We stopped thinking about losing," one player told reporters afterward. "We just started playing." That’s the kind of shift no playbook can force. It has to come from within. And for the first time in weeks, it did.

What This Means for the Season

The Pelicans are still 3-15, dead last in the Western Conference, 9.5 games behind the Rockets and Spurs. But momentum matters. They’re not out of the playoff race mathematically—not yet. More importantly, they’re out of the mental abyss. This win gives them something they haven’t had in over two weeks: belief. Their next game is Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies at home, a chance to build on this. Meanwhile, the Bulls, now 9-8, drop to third in the Central Division. Their defense is a liability. Their rebounding is a mess. And their confidence? Shaken. They’ll face the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, but the question isn’t whether they’ll win—it’s whether they can stop the bleeding.

Why This Game Matters Beyond the Box Score

There’s a quiet truth in sports: a team doesn’t need to be great to be saved. They just need one win. One night where everything clicks. One moment where the players look at each other and say, "We’ve got this." For the Pelicans, that was Monday. For Zion Williamson, it was a statement: he’s still here, still dangerous, still the engine. For Borrego, it was validation. For the fans? It was relief. After 10 days of silence in the arena, the noise returned—not just from the scoreboard, but from the stands. That’s the real win.