Wednesday night's game between the Pelicans and Nets marked the return of two of the most exciting young players in the NBA, but one delivered a much more impressive performance than the other.
New Orleans forward Zion Williamson, who sat out the entirety of last season because of a foot injury, totaled 25 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three assists in his team's 130-108 victory over Brooklyn. He was an absolute force inside, scoring 22 of his 25 points in the paint.
Williamson had plenty of help, as four other Pelicans players scored at least 15 points. Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
Ben Simmons, meanwhile, struggled to make an impact in his firstnon-exhibition game since June 20, 2021.The three-time All-Star fouled out in just 23 minutes, totalingfour points, five rebounds, five assists and three turnovers.
Kevin Durant had a game-high 32 points in the loss, and Kyrie Irving scored 15 points on 6-of-19 shooting.
The Sporting News tracked live scoring updates from Pelicans vs. Nets on Wednesday. Check out all of the highlights you may have missed right here.
NBA PLAYER RANKINGS:PG|SG|SF| PF|C| Bench|Top 30
Pelicans vs. Nets score
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Pelicans | 32 | 26 | 40 | 32 | 130 |
| Nets | 14 | 36 | 28 | 30 | 108 |
Pelicans vs. Netsupdates, highlights from Zion Williamson, Ben Simmons return game
(All times Eastern)
Final: Pelicans 130, Nets 108
10 p.m. —And there's the final buzzer. This one was never close. Both teams will be back in action on Friday.
9:50 p.m. —The starters are coming off the floor. The Pelicans will leave Brooklyn with an easy win.
9:35 p.m. —Ben Simmons fouls out with nine minutes left in the final frame. He had four points, five rebounds, five assists and three turnovers in 23 minutes.
End of third quarter: Pelicans 98, Nets 78
9:30 p.m. —The Nets don't seem to have any answers for the Pelicans' level of physicality in the paint. New Orleans will head into the fourth quarter with a huge lead.
MOVE 'EM, @Larrydn22 pic.twitter.com/O8tz1II09f
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 20, 2022
9:15 p.m. —The Pelicans have pushed their lead to 25 points. The Nets are providing no resistance at all defensively.
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 20, 2022ahem...
"IT'S TRIGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" pic.twitter.com/Oe1r3dfcLP
9:05 p.m. —The lefty finish off the spin move? That's just nasty.
that was NICE @KyrieIrving pic.twitter.com/tBnVQusGLK
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 20, 2022
9 p.m. —Not an ideal start to the second half for Ben Simmons. He just picked up his fourth foul with 11:54 on the clock.
Halftime: Pelicans 58, Nets 50
8:45 p.m. — You may have heard this story before, but Kevin Durant is saving the Nets. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has 21 points in 18 minutes.
21 points at the half for KD pic.twitter.com/8ZYNJ9Nm1j
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 20, 2022
8:35 p.m. —Good luck trying to defend this Brandon Ingram fadeaway jumper.
BI with the faaaaaaaaade 💧 pic.twitter.com/pScrEAzxtk
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 20, 2022
8:25 p.m. — Herb Jones with the go-go-gadget-arms block on Kevin Durant's 3-point attempt:
THE MEMO IS STILL #NOTONHERB, EVERYONE. pic.twitter.com/dCg2Lpso7p
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 20, 2022
8:20 p.m. —Nets coach Steve Nash is hoping that his bench can provide some energy. He can always rely on Cam Thomas to be aggressive with the ball in his hands.
drive & dish pic.twitter.com/0nbxmUAV0Y
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 20, 2022
End of first quarter: Pelicans 32, Nets 14
8:10 p.m. —What a dominant quarter for the Pelicans. They destroyed the Nets on the glass, grabbing seven offensive rebounds. Brooklyn must take better care of the ball after committing nine turnovers in the opening frame.
8:05 p.m. — Ben Simmons scores his first points as a member of the Nets, but Brooklyn's offense is... not great so far. The Pelicans are controlling the pace and style of play.
Kyrie gets the steal that leads to Ben Simmons first bucket as a member of the Nets! #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/Ay1SfnBM5R
— NBA (@NBA) October 19, 2022
7:55 p.m. —Zion Williamson is looking like the guy that Pelicans fans saw during the 2020-21 season. He already has four points, two rebounds and one assist.
ZION 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ie4Efa*gEZQ
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 19, 2022
7:45 p.m. —And here we go. The Nets win the opening tip, but they turn the ball over on their first possession.
7:30 p.m. — And here is the Pelicans' starting five:
It's happening#Pelicans | @Verizon pic.twitter.com/M6gdh8u2AU
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) October 19, 2022
7:20 p.m. — Here is the Nets' starting five:
First 5 of the season ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/TXJUoOIs5P
— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 19, 2022
What channel is Pelicans vs. Nets on?
- Date:Wednesday, Oct. 19
- TV channel:Bally Sports New Orleans| YES Network
- Live streaming:Sling TV| NBA League Pass (outside of the US)
Pelicans vs. Netswill not air on national TV in the US, but the game will be available to watch in local markets on Bally Sports New Orleans (Pelicans) and YES Network (Nets). Viewers can also stream the game on Sling TV.
Fans in the U.S. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange for $35/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $46/month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.
For a limited time only, Sling subscribers can watch every NBA League Pass game for free! Stream every out-of-market NBA game from 10/18-10/24 on Sling TV.
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Pelicans vs. Nets start time
- Date:Wednesday, Oct. 19
- Time:7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT
Pelicans vs. Netswill tip off around 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The game will be played at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Pelicans schedule 2022-23
Here are New Orleans' first five games of the 2022-23 regular season:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| Oct. 19 | at Nets | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 21 | at Hornets | 7p.m. | — |
| Oct. 23 | vs. Jazz | 7 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 25 | vs. Mavericks | 7:30p.m. | TNT |
| Oct. 28 | at Suns | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
Nets schedule 2022-23
Here are Brooklyn's first five games of the 2022-23 regular season:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 19 | vs. Pelicans | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 21 | vs. Raptors | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 24 | at Grizzlies | 8 p.m. | — |
| Oct. 26 | at Bucks | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Oct. 27 | vs. Mavericks | 7:30 p.m. | NBA TV |
