Rookie Derik Queen registered his third consecutive double-double on Monday, helping lead the New Orleans Pelicans to their season-high fifth straight victory.
Queen produced 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and one blocked shot in a 119-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Smoothie King Center. He went 7-of-12 from the field and was a team-best plus-13 in 34 minutes of work.
The 13th pick is tied with Sacramento Kings forward Maxime Raynaud for the longest double-double streak by a rookie this season. It is tied for the second-longest streak by a rookie in franchise history, trailing only Darren Collison, who recorded four straight in March 2010.
“I just be trying to play harder, rebound and go out there and be a basketball player,” Queen said. “But mainly, just playing harder. That’s where double-doubles come from, just playing hard.”
Queen is averaging 13.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and one steal on 51.7% shooting from the field in 30 appearances with the Pelicans. He is tied for the lead in double-doubles among rookies (5) and is one of three first-year players with multiple 30-point games.
The 20-year-old became a full-time starter on Nov. 16 and has delivered several notable performances, including a triple-double on Dec. 8. The group has been pleased with his showing and believes there is plenty of potential to tap into this season.
Queen has played a crucial role for the Pelicans during their recent surge. He is dazzling with his playmaking, acting as a hub on offense, and is showcasing his overall skill set and ability on a nightly basis against some of the top players in the league.
“He is battling all of the best players in the league at that position,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said. “He has that matchup every night. Anthony Davis is a problem down there. I think as the game went, D.Q. found some footing with him. But he is huge for us on the board, rim protection. He is doing a great job down there.”