The New Orleans Pelicans’ struggles deepened Sunday night as they fell 118-85 to the New York Knicks, extending their losing streak to eight games. Missing key stars like Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans looked disjointed from the opening tip. A catastrophic first quarter saw them miss 15 consecutive shots over nearly nine minutes, scoring just one point during that span and trailing 33-10 by the end of the period.
Their offense never recovered, with the team shooting a dismal 4-for-27 from beyond the arc and 35-for-94 overall. Despite a team-high 13 points from CJ McCollum and 11 apiece from Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi, New Orleans simply couldn’t match the Knicks’ energy or execution.
Defensively, the Pelicans were overmatched, surrendering 31 points to Mikal Bridges, who torched them with seven three-pointers. The Knicks dominated the glass as well, winning the rebound battle 60-42, thanks in large part to Karl-Anthony Towns’ 19 boards.
With New York setting the tone early and holding New Orleans to just 28 points in the first half, the game was effectively over before halftime. The Pelicans, now 1-10 on the road this season, must find answers quickly as they head to Atlanta to close out their road trip. Their playoff hopes are slipping away unless they can overcome injuries and rediscover the cohesive play that eludes them.
