DeMarcus Cousins joked the New Orleans Pelicans “looked like the Harlem Globetrotters at one point” in their 128-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
The flashy effort was spearheaded by Pelicans point guard Rajon Rondo, who set a franchise record and a career high with 25 assists in just 30 minutes of action.
Rondo, who signed a one-year, $3.3 million contract with New Orleans over the offseason, became just the seventh player in NBA history to reach the 25-assist mark in a game, joining Scott Skiles, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, Nate McMillan and Isiah Thomas. The feat hadn’t been accomplished since Kidd dished out 25 assists in 1996.
Rondo, now the only active player with 25 assists in a game, created 58 points with his dimes, the most by any player in a game over the past 20 seasons, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He also reached the mark in the shortest amount of time (30 minutes) and is the oldest player to accomplish the feat (31 years, 308 days).
Interestingly, Rondo scored just two points — the fewest in a 25-assist game, according to Elias — on 1 of 5 shooting from the field. Cousins, Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday and E’Twaun Moore each finished with at least 20 points in the Pelicans’ victory, with Davis leading the way with 33.
