Shameka Nixon The Who Dat Daily.Com/Pelicans ContributorNew Orleans.La – The New Orleans Pelicans faced off against the San Antonio Spurs Sunday afternoon in NBA Bubble City. The Pelicans came into the match up knowing they could not have anymore sluggish and unproductive starts if they wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive. I thought based on what was said in the in the teams prior press conference that they understood the severity of the situation they were facing. For whatever reason, they could not garner enough enthusiasm to get off to a fast start verses one of the best head coaches off All-time Coach Greg Popovich.
New Orleans scored 19 points in the first quarter of the game and trailed all game long to San Antonio. The Pel’s did make a contest of it late but the Spurs kept their distance despite losing their starting guard to injury during the game (Derrick White bruised knee). Coach Alvin Gentry game plan is running but the Spurs beat them on the fast break 17-9 plus got to the free throw line 32 times converting 31 of them.
JJ Redick for the Pelicans scored 31 points to try to get his team in the game to no avail. Zion Williamson who played in 27 minutes scored 25 points with 7 rebounds to help the team. The Pelicans backcourt of Lonzo Ball & Jrue Holiday was totally ineffective scoring 12 points combined on 4-22 FG shooting and 0-9 from downtown. The rotations were adjusted as Brandon Ingram 17 points didn’t make much difference as he was notice absent in much of the fourth quarter. New Orleans went down in flames again 122-113 after getting within 6 points late in the fourth quarter.
New Orleans Pelicans Box
Player
POS
MIN
FGM-A
3PM-A
FTM-A
+/-
OFF
DEF
TOT
A
PF
STL
TO
BLK
PTS
D. Favors
C
23:55
5-8
0-0
0-0
7
5
7
12
1
0
0
0
1
10
B. Ingram
F
33:12
6-14
2-4
3-4
1
1
5
6
5
4
1
2
0
17
Z. Williamson
F
27:11
10-20
0-0
5-6
-21
5
2
7
1
3
0
1
0
25
J. Holiday
G
35:04
2-12
0-5
3-3
13
0
3
3
7
4
0
5
1
7
L. Ball
G
31:01
2-10
0-4
1-1
-5
2
3
5
10
3
0
3
2
5
J. Redick
31:33
10-16
8-12
3-4
-6
0
5
5
3
1
1
2
0
31
J. Hart
15:54
0-1
0-1
0-2
-24
2
3
5
1
3
0
0
0
0
J. Hayes
10:22
2-2
0-0
2-2
6
0
3
3
0
3
1
0
0
6
N. Melli
10:09
1-3
0-1
0-0
-18
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
2
F. Jackson
9:11
2-5
1-1
0-0
-2
1
0
1
1
2
0
2
0
5
N. Alexander-Walker
8:02
1-2
1-2
0-0
3
0
0
0
0
1
1
4
0
3
E. Moore
4:26
1-3
0-0
0-0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
2
K. Williams
DNP
Total
240:00
42-96
12-30
17-22
16
32
48
30
26
5
19
5
113
San Antonio Spurs Box
Player
POS
MIN
FGM-A
3PM-A
FTM-A
+/-
OFF
DEF
TOT
A
PF
STL
TO
BLK
PTS
J. Poeltl
C
22:28
2-4
0-0
0-0
4
5
9
14
1
5
2
3
0
4
D. DeRozan
F
33:05
10-16
0-0
7-7
6
1
3
4
2
3
1
3
0
27
L. Walker IV
F
29:55
3-13
1-5
0-0
16
2
4
6
6
3
0
1
1
7
D. Murray
G
32:46
5-14
3-5
5-6
1
0
5
5
2
2
2
2
1
18
D. White
G
20:45
6-11
2-6
2-2
12
0
3
3
3
1
0
1
1
16
R. Gay
28:37
5-11
2-5
7-7
17
1
4
5
3
3
3
2
1
19
K. Johnson
25:37
2-3
1-1
4-4
-4
0
1
1
0
5
2
2
0
9
D. Eubanks
23:56
4-6
0-0
0-0
2
6
5
11
3
4
2
1
2
8
M. Belinelli
20:57
3-11
2-6
6-6
-4
0
2
2
2
1
0
2
0
14
Q. Weatherspoon
1:54
0-0
0-0
0-0
-5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
L. Samanic
DNP
P. Mills
DNP
C. Metu
DNP
Total
240:00
40-89
11-28
31-32
15
36
51
22
27
12
17
6
122
New Orleans Pelicans were officially eliminated when the Portland Trailblazers won their night game against the 76ers 124-121. They still have two remaining games left against the Sacramento Kings & Orlando Magic. There were rumored reports about if the Pelicans didn’t make the playoffs Coach Alvin Gentry (who has 1 year remaining on his contract) could be replaced. I think that might not be such a bad idea as this team is a lot better than their play and this Coach could not inspire them to win.
