Naji Marshall goes off for career-high as Pelicans lose to Warriors

On Friday, New Orleans Pelicans rookie Naji Marshall produced a career-high in points and rebounds in just his ninth start of the season during a loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Marshall recorded 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes of work during the 125-122 loss for his third career double-double. He became just the sixth rookie in Pelicans history to register at least three double-doubles in a season.

The undrafted rookie has earned the start in each of his five games with the Pelicans, averaging 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds during that stretch. The recent surge by Marshall is his best of the season after playing sparingly prior to the month of April.

Marshall entered the rotation on April 2 and has given the Pelicans some strong performances. Since entering the rotation, Marshall has scored in double figures 11 times and is averaging 9.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 24 games.

Given his strong play, the Pelicans rewarded Marshall with a three-year contract, which is fully guaranteed for the next three seasons. His emergence has given the team a strong boost in the lineup and he will be looking to build on that next season.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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