The New Orleans Pelicans continued their disappointing season with a 121-116 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday night time. Regardless of their efforts late within the sport, the Pelicans’ shortcomings remained evident.
Victor Wembanyama returned from damage and delivered for the Spurs, scoring 25 factors on 9-of-16 capturing, together with a vital go-ahead three-pointer within the ultimate minute. The win ended San Antonio’s three-game skid and added one other chapter to an out-of-control Pelicans season.
Within the sport, the previous New Orleans Hornets is nice Chris Paul overtakes Jason Kidd second on the NBA’s all-time assists record, becoming a member of Kidd and John Stockton as the one three gamers in league historical past to complete no less than 12,000 assists.
A five-time help champion, Paul dished out a franchise-record 4,228 assists in 425 regular-season video games for New Orleans.
The numbers inform the story
The Pelicans, now 5-19, have misplaced 12 straight street video games, closing in on the franchise report of 15 set through the dismal 2004-05 season. Mockingly, that season sparked a serious rebuild because the then-Hornets traded a number of veterans, developed their youthful core, and ready for the upcoming draft, the place they chose Paul.
Accidents have decimated the squad, with that of Brandon Ingram important ankle sprain– backed up Saturday towards the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder – additional depleting the roster like by no means earlier than. Ingram was the final starter to keep away from lacking double-digit video games this season. His absence primarily cements the Pelicans’ trajectory towards the lottery, as their playoff probabilities had already fallen beneath 1% earlier than Sunday’s sport.
A glimmer of hope, then a collapse
Trailing 114-103 with lower than 5 minutes remaining, New Orleans managed to rally for a 13-0 run to take a 116-114 lead within the ultimate minute. Nonetheless, the dynamic shortly modified course. A controversial replay overturned a foul on Spurs goalkeeper Julien Champagnie, resulting in a leap ball. The Spurs capitalized, with Wembanyama scoring three factors to regain the lead.
Trey Murphy III, who entered the beginning lineup in Ingram’s absence, had an opportunity to tie the sport on the buzzer, however missed a deep three-pointer. San Antonio scored seven unanswered factors to shut the door to a different defeat.
Particular person efforts fail
Murphy led the Pelicans with a team-high 25 factors, whereas CJ McCollum and Dejounte Murray added 19 and 18 factors, respectively. The Pelicans fell to 0-3 towards Murray’s former groups this season (Atlanta 0-2, San Antonio 0-1).
Rookie Yves Missi had a outstanding sport with 18 factors and 14 rebounds, together with a career-high 9 on the offensive glass. Regardless of these efforts, New Orleans’ incapability to shut out video games underscores its deeper systemic issues.
The Pelicans went 0 final season when trailing early within the fourth quarter and completed nineteenth within the NBA in successful proportion (14-15, .483). After falling to 4-5 this season, New Orleans as soon as once more ranks nineteenth in late sport wins (.444).
The massive image
Accidents have plagued the Pelicans, who lead the league in video games and salaries misplaced to accidents this season. Zion Williamson stays sidelined with a hamstring concern, and Ingram’s indefinite absence solely exacerbates the issue. The Pelicans entered the season with a promising core, however that group has solely performed in 70 of a doable 168 complete video games.
Their issues run a lot deeper than simply accidents. The Pelicans are a nasty basketball workforce that performs with persistently inconsistent effort from sport to sport.
By the numbers, the New Orleans Pelicans are:
- twenty eighth in FG% (43.8)
- thirtieth in EFG% (49.8)
- thirtieth in TS% (53.2)
- twenty seventh in 3P% (32.7)
- twenty eighth in 3PA (33.1)
- twenty third in ALE (21.1)
- twenty sixth in FT% (75.7)
- twenty fifth in ALE price (.236)
- twenty ninth in +/- (-11.7)
- twenty ninth in offensive score (106.2)
- twenty eighth in defensive score (119.0)
- twenty ninth in web score (-11.8) – The Pelicans rank twenty second within the first quarter, twenty ninth within the second quarter, twenty seventh within the third quarter and twenty seventh within the fourth quarter..
- 18th in tempo (98.84)
- twenty sixth in factors off turnovers (16.3)
- twenty second in factors within the paint (46.1)
- twenty ninth in opposing factors within the paint (54.7)
- thirtieth in quick break factors allowed (20.3)
- twenty eighth amongst opponents EFG% (56.6)
With their playoff hopes are goneIt’s time for the Pelicans to face harsh realities. The record, because it was constructed, is a failed experiment.
Ingram’s upcoming free company and the workforce’s monetary constraints make a rebuild essentially the most logical path to take. The entrance workplace should determine whether or not to commerce Ingram this offseason since, barring a miraculous commerce, an in-season commerce appears out of the query, or probably lose him for nothing.
In the meantime, the Pelicans may land a excessive lottery choose, which might be a serious vibrant spot in an in any other case disastrous season.
What’s subsequent?
The Pelicans will host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night time, however with their roster in shambles and morale at an all-time low, followers have little purpose to be optimistic. Till structural modifications are made, each on and off the court docket, the way forward for New Orleans basketball will stay bleak.
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