The New Orleans Pelicans misplaced their eighth straight recreation on Thursday evening following an embarrassing 128-111 loss to the Houston Rockets. Houston cruised to a wire-to-wire victory in dominant trend, main by as many as 30 factors at one level. The loss drops the Pelicans to a dismal 5-26 report this season, which marks the worst report within the Western Convention.
New Orleans performed Thursday’s recreation with out Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, each of whom have been injured. Throughout this tough interval, Pelicans head coach Willie Inexperienced preached the necessity for competitiveness and unity. He echoed related sentiments in his post-match press convention, calling his crew sluggish after that efficiency.
“We did not execute the sport plan, beginning with myself,” Inexperienced admitted. “Only a lack of competitiveness from our group from begin to end. … We have been simply sluggish tonight. Interval.”
It was a brutally trustworthy assertion from the Pelicans head coach.
Watch Stay: Willie Inexperienced#Pelicans | @CésarsSports https://t.co/4zzmTjYD1y
– New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 27, 2024
The Pelicans remained ice chilly on the finish of the primary quarter, scoring simply two factors within the remaining 4 minutes because the Rockets started to tug away. Houston put the ultimate nail within the coffin with a 41-point third quarter to place the sport away. Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans in scoring with 21 factors on 4/9 taking pictures from past the arc.
The beginning of the 12 months has been disappointing to say the least, after a lot optimism heading into the brand new season.
New Orleans gained 49 video games final season, the second most in franchise historical past, and after buying former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, many believed the Pelicans might be a viable menace within the Convention West. As a substitute, their greatest participant, Zion Williamson, has solely performed in six video games this 12 months, and the crew has solely gained one highway recreation this season after setting a franchise report for wins on the highway a season in the past.
New Orleans performs once more Friday evening when it hosts the Memphis Grizzlies on the Smoothie King Middle.
Zion Williamson will get brutally trustworthy after loss to Warriors
The New Orleans Pelicans shake up their crew after their loss to the Warriors
Sincere assertion from Brandon Ingram on Pelicans’ loss to Warriors
