The New Orleans Pelicans managed to overcome the absence of their top scorer, Zion Williamson and secured a spot in the NBA playoffs with a 105-98 win against the Sacramento Kings in a play-in tournament game on Friday night.

Brandon Ingram led the team with 24 points, while Jonas Valanciunas contributed 19 points and 12 rebounds. The Pelicans showed great teamwork and support for each other, which helped them achieve their goal of reaching the playoffs.

Williamson couldn’t play due to a left hamstring strain he sustained in a previous game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite his absence, the Pelicans demonstrated resilience, with six players scoring 10 or more points, including bench players Larry Nance Jr., Naji Marshall, and Jose Alvarado.

Trey Murphy III, who started in place of Williamson, added 16 points. The Pelicans will now face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

Ingram expressed satisfaction with clinching a playoff berth, highlighting the team’s collective effort.

On the other hand, the Kings’ De’Aaron Fox scored 35 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

Kings coach Mike Brown acknowledged his team’s passive offensive performance and emphasized the need for improvement in finishing plays and converting free throws.