NEW ORLEANS (AP) — When Pelicans rookie Derik Queen missed a late shot for the lead against the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans guard Jose Alvarado hustled over to him and pushed his palm up under his chin in an expression of encouragement.

The Pelicans felt Queen had nothing to be ashamed of after recording his first NBA triple double — 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists — in just his 25th game.

kAm“(6 H@F=5?VE 92G6 366? 😕 E96 82>6 H:E9@FE 9:>[” D2:5 p=G2C25@ H9@ A2DD65 E96 32== E@ “F66? 😕 E96 7:?2= D64@?5D @7 }6H ~C=62?DV k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^DAFCD\A6=:42?D\D4@C6\6_a3h5`ed65e`dhg_3d3dc77ea`5g`ebQm`bd\`ba =@DD E@ E96 $AFCDk^2m @? |@?52J ?:89E] “(6 =:G6 H:E9 E92E D9@E 6G6CJ 52J[ >2<6 @C >:DD] w6VD 9@E] ]]] x E@=5 9:> `_ @FE @7 `_ E:>6D xV> 5@:?8 E96 D2>6 E9:?8 2== @G6C D@ <66A J@FC 9625 9:89]”k^Am

kAm%96 !6=:42?D E@@< 2 C:D< E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?6H\@C=62?D\A6=:42?D\?32\5C27E\5F>2CD\6b33d6_c6fgdfc4a2hhfebdfec7533gaQm5C27E “F66?[ EC25:?8 7:CDE\C@F?5 5C27E 49@:46D E9:D J62C 2?5 ?6IE E@ pE=2?E2k^2m D@ E96J 4@F=5 >@G6 FA E@ D6=64E E96 e\7@@E\h 7@C>6C |2CJ=2?5 46?E6C `bE9 @G6C2==]k^Am

kAmq642FD6 ?6H !6=:42?D 32D<6E32== @A6C2E:@?D 49:67 y@6 sF>2CD 2?5 86?6C2= >2?286C %C@J (62G6C 5:5 ?@E AC@E64E E96:C a_ae A:4< 😕 E96 6G6?E E96J H@F?5 FA 😕 E96 5C27E =@EE6CJ[ E96 EC256 7@C “F66? 92D 366? H:56=J A2??65 3J }qp AF?5:ED — 6DA64:2==J 2D }6H ~C=62?DV =@DD6D 92G6 A:=65 FA]k^Am

kAm%96 !6=:42?D 2C6 b\ab[ 3FE “F66? 😀 92C5=J E96 AC@3=6>] w6 92D ?@H D4@C65 b_ @C >@C6 A@:?ED EH:46 E9:D D62D@?[ 2?5 😀 2G6C28:?8 36EE6C E92? `a A@:?ED 2?5 D:I C63@F?5D A6C 82>6]k^Am

kAmp82:?DE $2? p?E@?:@[ E96 !6=:42?D EC2:=65 ff\df 2E 92=7E:>6 367@C6 “F66? 3682? E@ 2DD6CE 9:>D6=7 2C@F?5 E96 32D<6E[ 4@?E@CE:?8 2E E:>6D E@ 5C@A 😕 5:77:4F=E[ 4@?E6DE65 D9@ED 😕 E96 A2:?E] w6 D4@C65 a` A@:?ED 😕 E96 A6C:@5 2D }6H ~C=62?D 3C:67=J DFC865 😕 7C@?E]k^Am

kAm“p?J C@@<:6 E92E E2<6D @G6C =:<6 E92E[ :EVD C62==J DA64:2=[” !6=:42?D :?E6C:> 4@249 y2>6D q@CC68@ D2:5] “*@F 5@?VE D66 E92E E@@ @7E6? 😕 E9:D =628F6] %92E H2D :>AC6DD:G6] x 5@?VE @H 9@H E@ D2J :E @E96C E92? E92E] xE H2D 2 DA64:2= A6C7@C>2?46 @? 9:D A2CE E@ >2<6 A=2JD[ E@ A2DD E96 32==[ 4C62E6 7@C @E96CD 2?5 7@C 9:>D6=7 E@ 86E E@ E96 C:>]”k^Am

kAm!6=:42?D 4@2496D 92G6 2=C625J 368F? ECFDE:?8 “F66? E@ 92?5=6 E96 32== 4@>:?8 FA E96 4@FCE] w6 2=D@ 92D 56>@?DEC2E65 2 24< 7@C 56=:G6C:?8 ?:7EJ A2DD6D E9C@F89 EC277:4 E@ E62>>2E6D 4FEE:?8 E@H2C5 E96 9@@A]k^Am

kAm“x ECJ E@ A2DD[ 3FE H96? E9:?8D @A6? FA[ x ECJ E@ 8@ D4@C6[” “F66? D2:5]k^Am

kAm“yFDE 8@E E@ <66A 36:?8 A9JD:42=[ <66A 8@:?8 E@ E96 C:>[ <66A 36:?8 D>2CE H:E9 :E E9@F89 2?5 <66A 86EE:?8 36EE6C[Q “F66? 25565] Qr2?VE 36 D2E:D7:65 H:E9 E@?:89E]”k^Am

kAmp?5 “F66? 92D 366? :>AC@G:?8 2E 2 BF:4< C2E6[ p=G2C25@ D2:5]k^Am

kAm“w6VD F?@CE9@5@I[” p=G2C25@ D2:5] “w6 42? 3F==J J@F[ 96 42? A:4< J@F 2A2CE[ J@F 8@E E@ AC6DD 9:> FA 2?5 96VD 8@@5 6?@F89 E@ 92?5=6 :E E@ 8@ A2DE J@F] $@[ :EVD ;FDE 2 >2E49FA ?:89E>2C6 7@C E96 @AA@?6?E] w6VD =62C?:?8 2?5 86EE:?8 32EE6C 6G6CJ 52J]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.