The New Orleans Pelicans began preseason play on Monday night when they visited the defending Eastern Conference Champion Miami Heat. The Pelicans pulled out a 114-92 victory behind 26 points from Zion Williamson, and they did so despite a subpar shooting night from Lonzo Ball.

Interestingly enough, Ball made some pre-tip news when it was learned that he would be starting at point guard.

Although seemingly a forgone conclusion, Ball’s place as a starter with the team has come into question with the acquisition of Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe, however, didn’t travel to Miami for the contest.

Reminiscent of their days together with the Lakers, Ball was joined in the backcourt by Josh Hart, who played 30 minutes on the night.

The Good - Domination of the Glass

To his credit, in the starting lineup, Ball controlled the game as the lead guard. He routinely found his way into the paint and created open looks for his teammates, but more often than not, the cold-shooting Pelicans couldn’t convert on the looks he manufactured.

Nonetheless, the team managed to control the contest for the majority of the way, leading by as many as 22 points. They absolutely dominated the Heat on the glass, winning the rebounding battle, 62-39 and winning second-chance points, 22-4.

Zion Williamson grabbed 11 rebounds to go along with his 26 points, while Stevens Adams — playing in his first game for the Pelicans — contributed seven points and eight rebounds.

The Bad - Struggles from the Outside

With all he did well with respect to ball movement and shot creation, Lonzo Ball didn’t have his best night from the field. He ended the night having shot 5-for-15, including just 2-for-9 from three-point territory.

Similarly, Josh Hart shot just 4-for-10 from the field, including just 1-for-7 from beyond the arc.

In the NBA, a starting backcourt that combines to shoot just 9-for-25 won’t usually put their team in a position to win, but that’s the luxury of having players like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who combined for 48 points on the night.

Aside from that, however, it’s hard to find fault with the Pelicans’ effort on a night when they scored an impressive road win over the defending Eastern Conference Champion.

While it should be pointed out that the Heat were without Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic and Andre Iguodala, a win is a win. Especially on the road.

The Pelicans will next be in action when they travel to Milwaukee to square off against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks on Friday night.

Lonzo Ball - A Topsy-Turvy Night

Head coach Stan Van Gundy won’t be happy with Lonzo Ball’s struggles from the field, but at the end of the day, the point guard helped the Pelicans dictate the pace of the game and found his teammates for good looks.

More importantly, in about 32 minutes as the team’s primary ballhandler, Ball recorded six assists and turned the ball over just one time.

Those factors, as well as the 22-point victory, will probably yield some positive vibrations as the team travels back to New Orleans.