Lonzo Ball #2 of the New Orleans Pelicans (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Maybe it was the James Johnson-style t-shirt under the jersey that did it, but Lonzo Ball came out on fire in his first game back for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pels were still shorthanded with Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart on the bench with injuries and newly signed Isaiah Thomas still out our to COVID protocol in a game they needed to win against the Houston Rockets.
The Pelicans are inexplicably just a half game out of the play-in tournament for the playoffs and were on a two-game skid, so they needed someone to step up.