The New Orleans Pelicans put their four-game winning streak on the line on Monday as they hosted the Dallas Mavericks at Smoothie King Center.

Buoyed by the home crowd, the Pelicans had a strong start, punctuated by the beautiful connection between Zion Williamson and Karlo Matkovic.

After a defensive stop, Williamson brought down the ball. He saw Matkovic racing on the other side of the floor. Williamson issued a pinpoint alley-oop pass from half-court, with Matkovic emphatically slamming it home to complete the play.

The fans were definitely hyped for that one.

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The Pelicans have seemingly unlocked something by bringing Williamson off the bench, and don't expect it to change any time soon. The oft-injured forward said he is willing to play any role, as long as they become successful. New Orleans coach James Borrego used a unique analogy for his new strategy.

“Williamson has a number of gold coins that I can use. I just want to be the most efficient with the gold coins I have. That's it. Nothing tricky. That's all I have, so we're finding the best way to maximize those minutes right now,” said Borrego.

As for Matkovic, he may not be getting heavy minutes, but he continues to show that he can still contribute. He is an agile big who can provide toughness on both ends. He is third in the team's depth chart for the center position behind Derik Queen and Yves Missi.

While they have been playing well lately, the Pelicans are being linked to trade rumors, particularly involving Williamson, Trey Murphy III, and Herb Jones.