The New Orleans Pelicans (11-26) lost their fourth game in a row on Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers (9-31) 95-91. Lou Williams scored nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, including a clutch runner with 18 seconds left to put the Lakers up three. The Pelicans four game winning streak against the Los Angeles Lakers was snapped, and the franchise continues to move closer to the Lakers (3.5 games between the two teams) than the current 8th seed in the Western Conference, the Utah Jazz (6 games between the two teams.)
The New Orleans Pelicans were without star Anthony Davis (the Pelicans are now 0-5 this year without him), while Kobe Bryant, who was a gametime decision, played in 16 first half minutes before sitting for good. With both teams missing their marquee stars, the two teams battled it out for a close game.
The Pelicans struggled to score against the worst defense in the NBA, coming away with 91 points on 41.8% shooting from the floor. The team was able to get good looks for most of the night, and allowed the Lakers to get better looks late. The Pelicans scored 50 points in the paint, 18 points beyond the arc, and nine points at the charity stripe, combining for 77 points in the prime time zones. The Los Angeles Lakers scored 42 points in the paint, 18 points beyond the arc, and 25 points at the charity stripe, for 85 points in the prime time zones (meaning the Lakers only had to make five shots in the midrange area.)
With the Pelicans offense struggling throughout the game, and their defense faltering late (57 second half points), and Head Coach Alvin Gentry ripping into their intensity level, the team comes up short on all their keys to the game. Allowing Lou Williams to make three of his last four shots (after making only one of his first ten) seems to be emblematic of the Pelicans inability to play a whole 48 minutes.
The New Orleans Pelicans finish their three-game California trip tomorrow against the Sacramento Kings.
18 responses to “The New Orleans Pelicans Lose to the Los Angeles Lakers”
The Pelicans are the NBA laughingstock. A team with no leadership,no direction and having one of the softest players in the NBA in Davis. I hope they get rid of Gentry & Demps the sooner the better.
“AD, we’ll be right back here next year.” And Dull still has his job. Four years with NO and this franchise is sinking. Do you really think AD isn’t making plans on how he will exit? Totally clueless from the owner down to the coach.
I know its sad but I often find myself wanting the pelicans to lose games … like every game, I feel like losses expose our problems and winning gives Benson/Loomis a reason to not make changes and remain hopeful we can turn it around. Damn you Benson !
I said, when he was hired, that we would be looking for a new head coach and GM within 2 years on this website and I may be wrong. It might be after 1 year. Alvin Gentry is not a head coach. He is a fine assistant. He is the NBAs equivalent to Norv Turner.
It’s time for fans at the next home game to bring signs and say chants like fire Alvin!!
Jimmy Lee Dobbs I don’t think firing Gentry is the answer. This is a talented but very flawed team, that probably capped out last year. Don’t think much is gained by firing Gentry at this point.
Duke9192011015 You may be right, but I think this season is more indicative of the roster than Gentry’s shortcomings. Monty probably got this team to max out last season, as an 8th seed. I’d love to see what Gentry (and hopefully Erman) can do with a roster that better fits their strengths.
jcrossover1998 While it is against a fans’ human nature to want their team to lose, you do have to wonder how many more losses are needed before the team decides that selling “high” on their players is a good idea. This is not a championship roster, and probably won’t be even if they can somehow keep everybody next year and use their mid-level.
cocorner Hard to see AD making plans to leave after signing a 5 year deal. I doubt he’s happy with how the season is going, but he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon either. The greats make it work, and AD wants to be great.
Jimmy Lee Dobbs The NBA’s laughingstock title is reserved for the 76ers. Davis is not soft, but he is a 22-year old still growing into his body and fighting through the rigors of an 82-game season, which few guys play all 82 anymore. While I think everything has to be looked at next season, it is doubtful that Dell goes mid-season (that rarely happens to a GM sans Brooklyn), and little to no reason to fire Gentry at this point.
ChristopherRomaguera Duke9192011015
Chris are you seriously saying the Lakers players, wth or without Kobe, are better than the Pelicans without Davis??? They are not!
And I agree Monty got much more out of this group.
Gentry blames the players for not coming to play. That is his job, too.
This all adds up to Gentry is a significant part of the problem. Why hasn’t a single writer at BSS written an article about this? Are they all in the Pelican’s pocket?
Let me address this pocket thing. Again.
We get nothing. We are paid nothing. We all have other jobs. We are not beholden to the team for anything.
If you want an article, write it, but just because I never say “Gentry sucks” does not mean he has not been specifically criticized by me. For example, I have been pounding on how Tyreke and the bigs are used… It is not emotive or ostentious, but it is there in black and white, the good and the bad.
504ever ChristopherRomaguera Duke9192011015 No, I don’t recall saying the Lakers are better than the Pelicans (and I’ll save the discussion on the Lakers being better without Kobe for another time.)
What I’m saying is this is a flawed roster, that is not a good fit for the system that both Gentry and Erman want to run. Gentry has tried simplifying the system to help some players run it and it still hasn’t worked. While I am not calling for Gentry to get Coach of the Year votes, I don’t think there is a coach out there that could get this Pelicans team to play the uptempo style that is desired.
And unfortunately, I am in no one’s pockets (though I gladly accept donations.)
I went on google and saw the rumor that Dwight Howard or DeMarcus Cousins could be trade to the Pelicans or Knicks.
Jason Calmes
Jason,
There are several logical questions:
– Where is the evaluation of the reasons why this team’s record places it 27th out of 30 teams?
– If there can be an article about an individual player, why not about the head coach, the coaching staff, or aspects of coaching like offensive plays, offensive system, or defensive system?
All of the above was done under Monty’s tenure. Why has nothing been done this season?
P.S. Being “in the pocket” was not a financial statement. Plenty of writers don’t criticise management because they need management to talk to them.
Jimmy Lee Dobbs I have a hard time seeing Demarcus Cousins being traded, since he is the Kings’ best player, and the team is trying to win now. A recent rumor I heard also said Divac wasn’t answering the phones when other GMs called (most likely in regards to Cousins.) In both instances, I have a hard time seeing either team wanting pieces we have for those guys. RyNo makes sense in Houston, but only if they have a Center to drag help defenders into the paint, same goes for the Kings. RyNo doesn’t get the same looks if the team trades their inside presence for him. If you’re reading The Inquisitr, I’d also say I have a hard time seeing anyone viewing Asik as a positive piece in a trade (I can see teams taking his contract to get something better without giving up much ie taking Evans and Asik and not trading anything of value back in return.)
Personally I’d love to grab Cousins. He and Davis have a good friendship, and on the court I think they’d complement each other well. I don’t see us having the requisite pieces at the moment to pull that trade, but would totally trade everyone outside of Davis for him. Howard is someone who would want to win now, and he is probably already past his prime, and most likely is going to opt out looking to get overpaid by a team wanting to contend next year (which the Pels probably won’t be contending next year, especially if they sign Howard to a 20+ million a year deal.)
You can ask the other guys, but for me there is no article (other than the one I wrote about why they changed coaches) is if the players are clearly not fitting, the exercise is not worth the time. I can not judge a recipe if the chef is not following it, ingredients are bad, etc.
As far as pocket goes: I bring up all these as incentives. I have no incentive to discuss the team with the team or vice versa. I work largely in a double blind. Sometimes I ask questions, sometimes I get answers, sometimes not. I do not rely or need this.
For others, that is their business, but I see little to no incentive to talk to the at all or in a special way.
Wow. That was brutal… I thought Dallas game was bad… Couple of things I noticed:
1. Dante Cunningham: Needs to take a step in and shoot from mid-range. He can’t buy a 3 atm. Ajinca needs to do the same from his mid-range shot and focus on finishing around the rim.
2. Ryno, love the guy but there is a couple of shots that made be question his offensive IQ.
3. Holiday/Cole/Tyreke – Personally, I feel there is no pecking order here… I feel sometimes there are 3 head chefs in the kitchen and they are each confused on what to do… coaches need to sort this out.
4. Effort… seems to be the theme talking point of this season. Personally I believe a coaches job is to prepare his guys so that at tip-off they are ready to peak… Every time I hear effort was the issue, I’m internally asking the question: ‘why didn’t you prepare your guys better?’…
5. Eric Gordon… I don’t know…
6. Sink/Swim: If we lose today I’ll be now pressing the ‘Tanking’ button on the poll on on twitter… that game and Dallas = no playoffs… teams that make playoffs close out those games (and tight games)… this team this year can’t get it done, which is a shame cause I like this team but I feel trades are a coming…