josh howard

Jim Eichenhofer

Amid the relative quiet of a Thomas & Mack Center that had emptied out after a long day of basketball, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Patric Young made it audibly evident Friday that yet another ball caroming off the rim was his. It was the 6-foot-9, 240-pounder’s way of vocally claiming his territory in the paint, over and over again.

In his first-ever game as a professional, the undrafted Young turned in one of his finest rebounding performances, grabbing 13 boards in just 19 minutes. The University of Florida product’s high game in college was 14 rebounds, over a four-year Gators career.

Young’s boardwork and muscle in the paint – he also chipped in 11 key points in his reserve role – sparked New Orleans to a dramatic, 83-81 comeback victory over the D-League Select team.

“Great energy,” Pelicans veteran forward Josh Howard praised of Young. “He’s pretty much a wrecking ball out there. He’s on the ground (diving for loose balls and hustling) more than me, almost. To have that energy coming off the bench… to come in and contribute, that’s what we need.”

“He’s a beast,” Pelicans guard Russ Smith said. “Typical Pat Young. I’m just happy he came through. He definitely helped us on the glass and gave us toughness in the paint.”

Young matched his 2013-14 scoring average at Florida of 11.0 by dropping in a pair of crafty hook shots on the baseline, as well as scoring on two putbacks. His athletic, follow-up layup in the fourth quarter after a teammate���s fast-break miss was a key play that ignited New Orleans’ game-closing 21-2 surge. It was one of his game-high six offensive rebounds.

“I thought he was great. He was one of more consistent guys,” Pelicans summer head coach Bryan Gates said. “He really held the defensive boards down for us. He had a nice post move when we were struggling to score. I thought his energy was great.”

Young almost immediately put his imprint on the game after checking in as a first-quarter sub. He kept up a rebound-per-minute pace for much of the opening half, eventually helping the Pelicans claim a 45-33 overall rebounding advantage vs. the D-League.

“It’s the way I definitely wanted to start off my pro career, being a guy that’s going to go out, play hard, rebound every night,” Young said. “From Day 1, ever since I knew I was going to be playing summer league with the Pelicans, they were telling me to focus on rebounding. So going into the game, that’s all I was focused on, going out there playing hard, going after every board.”

Young entered summer league knowing that he needs to play well to improve his chances to make an NBA roster in the fall. He said his four-year career at Florida and the instruction of longtime head coach Billy Donovan gave him a clear understanding of what he needs to do to be effective.

“Coach Donovan did a good job of preparing me for what I’m going to be good at on this level,” Young said. “The (New Orleans) coaches have reaffirmed that. Go out there, be a good teammate, rebound, be a vocal leader, play good defense, have a good work ethic every day, and come in with a smile on your face, because you don’t get this opportunity every day to play basketball for a living. So enjoy it. It’s just all about effort and your mindset. I just had the will (Friday) that no one’s going to stop me from going after these loose balls.”

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‘Wrecking ball’ Patric Young dominates boards in debut

LAS VEGAS – In the lead-up to the beginning of his NBA career, many observers – including his own summer league head coach – noted that watching Russ Smith play should be an entertaining experience. After all, Smith’s devil-may-care exploits at the University of Louisville led Cardinals coach Rick Pitino to coin the nickname “Russdiculous,” in an attempt to describe the guard’s unique style.

It took Smith all of one pro game to live up to his famous moniker.

After struggling through a shaky opening half Friday, the rookie piled up 16 second-half points to spearhead New Orleans (1-0) to a stunning comeback victory. Smith registered a team-best 20 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. The Pelicans trailed the D-League Select team by 17 points with four-plus minutes remaining and were still down 79-68 with 3:15 to go, but went on a game-closing 15-2 run. Josh Carter drained the game-winning shot, a three-pointer from the left wing that was set up by Smith’s pinpoint crosscourt pass. Carter sank his trey with 3.0 seconds left; the D-League was unable to get off a desperate shot prior to the final buzzer. As the horn sounded, Pelicans players celebrated on the Thomas & Mack Center hardwood (pictured above) as though it were a regular-season victory.

“That was crazy,” Smith said of the rally, which included a 26-14 fourth-quarter edge. “It reminded me a little bit of college, the way everyone got hyped. It was just phenomenal. I’m just glad we all stepped up, played some defense and were able to come out with a victory.”

Although Smith was the center of attention after Friday’s win – including being interviewed by NBA TV sideline reporter Ric Bucher – there were a multitude of other key Pelicans. Eight different New Orleans players scored at least six points, including:

* Undrafted rookie forward/center Patric Young, one of the few Pelicans who played well during the first three-plus quarters. The Florida product finished with a double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds) despite logging only 19 minutes off the bench. “He’s a beast,” Smith said. “Typical Pat Young. I’m just happy he came through. He definitely helped us on the glass and gave us toughness in the paint.”

* Ten-year NBA veteran forward Josh Howard, who tallied all of his 14 points in the initial three periods, some much-needed offense. New Orleans trailed 43-31 at halftime and 67-57 through three quarters.

* Rookie guard Cameron Ayers, who drained two ultra-clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter. The Bucknell product’s second trifecta put the Pelicans in front 80-79 with just 26 seconds remaining.

In addition to the sudden late-game New Orleans offensive eruption, Smith credited the Pelicans’ defense for clamping down against the previously hot-shooting D-League. The D-League still finished 8-for-15 on treys Friday.

“Our defensive intensity in the fullcourt (improved significantly), and then our defensive execution in the halfcourt,” Smith said. “We did a good job of helping each other, and we stopped giving up offensive rebounds. Everything (improved) – communication, rotation, the psyche as a whole. We all chipped in, even the bench. The coaches did a phenomenal job keeping us in it.”

Smith's NBA debut included the dizzying final statistical line of 20 points, nine rebounds (five offensive), five assists, three steals, five fouls, six turnovers and 3-for-7 foul shooting (uncharacteristic of a career 76.0 percent shooter). But just like throughout his college career, which included a national title and two Final Four appearances, the end result still was a win.

"It was a whole team effort, along with myself," Smith said. "I just love to win. I’ll do anything to win. Whatever I had to throw out on the table, that’s what I did."

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NBA Summer League: Pelicans 83, D-League 81

LAS VEGAS – New Orleans Pelicans assistant coach Bryan Gates, who is again serving as head coach for summer league, unveiled his starting lineup for tonight’s game vs. the D-League Select team (9:30 p.m. Central).

The Pelicans will start second-round pick Russ Smith at point guard and 2013 second-rounder Jeff Withey at center. They will be joined in the first unit Friday by 2013-14 late-season roster addition James Southerland, 10-year NBA veteran forward Josh Howard and Josh Carter.

Friday’s game is available live online via NBA.com. It will also be replayed by NBA TV from 5-7 a.m. Saturday (Central time).

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Russ Smith, Jeff Withey in NOLA starting five for Vegas opener

1)      Today is the final day of New Orleans’ minicamp practices at the team’s Metairie facility. The Pelicans will travel to Las Vegas this afternoon.

2)      Watch post-practice Wednesday interviews with summer head coach Bryan Gates, as well as three players.

3)      Read more about the entertaining playing style of Pelicans rookie guard Russ Smith.

4)      Veteran 34-year-old forward Josh Howard has an extremely unique profile among players who will be participating in this year’s NBA Summer League.

5)      New Orleans opens NBA Summer League game action on Friday, facing the D-League Select team. Tip-off of the matchup will be at 9:30 p.m. Central (7:30 in Nevada).

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Five things to know about the Pelicans on July 10

While a few other members of the wildly-successful 2003 NBA Draft class are currently the subject of breathless ESPN reports and paparazzi-like coverage of their every move, these days Josh Howard’s surroundings are significantly more mundane. The 10-year pro, who last played in the NBA in 2012-13, is in the nearly unprecedented position of playing in summer league as a 34-year-old. Normally reserved for fresh-faced prospects in their early 20s, Howard’s trip to Las Vegas with the New Orleans Pelicans this week is an opportunity for him to reclaim an NBA roster spot after a one-season absence.

A starting small forward for the 2005-06 Dallas Mavericks team that captured the Western Conference championship before losing to Miami in the NBA Finals, Howard has already been sufficiently humbled basketball-wise. The 6-foot-7, 210-pounder spent last season in the D-League with the Austin Toros, an existence that included lengthy bus rides and reminded him of when he was a top high school player in his native North Carolina.

“Riding AAU vans was a humbling experience,” a smiling Howard said of the travel accommodations. “That was a motivation in itself.”

On his Web site, joshhoward.com, he recently recounted a 2 ½-hour drive through a snowstorm from Canton to Cleveland, a far cry from when he was in the NBA and traveled everywhere on private charter flights.

“After 11 years in the NBA, I knew coming in that that was going to be the biggest change, and even now, after the season is over, that’s the one thing that I continue to think about, and it makes me laugh,” Howard wrote in a blog. ���If it hadn’t been snowing, it would have been a 45-minute drive. I think it took us two and a half hours to get there in a shuttle, the kinds of vans you see at hotels. I said my prayers.”

While playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves in December 2012, Howard sustained the second left ACL injury of his career, causing him to miss the rest of that season (coincidentally, the injury occurred in a game vs. New Orleans). Many around the league believed Howard’s career might be over – few players are forced to rehab through two ACL injuries, let alone a man in his 30s.

After 24 D-League games last season, Howard and his agent chose the Pelicans as a summer-league destination partly due to the team’s uncertainty at small forward. New Orleans does not have anyone under contract at the position with extensive NBA experience, certainly no one approaching Howard’s 507 career games, 403 starts and 66 playoff appearances. The latter is more than three times as many as any current Pelicans player (Ryan Anderson’s 20 postseason games tops the veteran roster).

“When (my agent) told me the Pelicans and the situation they had as far as the three (small forward position), we just decided to go with this one,” Howard said of choosing New Orleans. “When I found out they were kind of thin at the three, of course that was going to help me as far as opportunity.”

The career 14.8 points per game scorer, who was the 29th and final pick of 2003’s first round, sounds proud to have defied skeptics who believed his career was over two years ago. He plans to play somewhere in 2014-15, even if he’s unable to land an NBA job.

“Injury-wise, it’s been tough, because a lot of people tried to write me off,” Howard said. “But I kept working, kept fighting. I never took a year off. I played in the D-League last year. I’m just one of those guys who keeps working. I plan on making a comeback. That’s my motivation. Ultimately it’s up to the GMs and coaches to put me on the team. As far as me being prepared and ready, I put myself in the position to be that. Whatever happens. Pelicans, D-League, overseas. To have the opportunity to keep playing the game I love, you can’t beat that.”

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Josh Howard attempting NBA comeback with summer Pelicans

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