Pelicans' Jonas Valanciunas is the unofficial NBA play-in king

Valanciunas put up 19 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks in the Pelicans’ 105-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday. New Orleans captured the No. 8 seed and will play Oklahoma City in a first-round series starting Saturday.

In the five years that the NBA has had the play-in tournament, Valanciunas has participated every time. In 2020, his Memphis Grizzlies lost the one-game play-in to the Portland Trail Blazers. In 2021, Memphis won two games to earn the No. 8 seed.

Valanciunas was traded to New Orleans that summer and the Pelicans won two games to earn the No. 8 seed in 2022. New Orleans lost the 9-10 play-in last season and one game this year before earning the No. 8 seed again.

His record: Five years, eight games, five wins, three losses and three No. 8 seeds. 

Not only is Valanciunas the all-time play-in scoring leader, just edging out teammate Brandon Ingram, but he’s the all-time rebounds leader with 87, though Domantas Sabonis has an impressive 58 rebounds in his four play-in games.

Perhaps Valanciunas isn’t the center you want if you want to win an NBA title. After all, the Toronto Raptors won it all a few months after swapping him for Marc Gasol in 2019. 

But Valanciunas is absolutely the center you want if you need to win a play-in game. And then lose to a No. 1 seed.