Everything started so well for the New Orleans Pelicans.
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New Orleans held a 34-19 lead over the Houston after the first quarter of play in a game that held incredible importance for the Pelicans if they wanted to get back in the Western Conference playoff race. Then everything fell apart. New Orleans turned the ball over 11 times over the last three quarters and missed eight free throws over that time which led to them ultimately falling to the Rockets 95-93.
Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans once again carried the Pelicans and helped them hang around against a better team. Davis finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds while Evans scored 28 points and dished seven assists for New Orleans who also got 10 points from Quincy Pondexter. Ultimately though it wasn’t enough to overcome James Harden‘s 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds and Donatas Motiejunas‘ 21 points.
Other observations:
- The problem with the Pelicans isn’t just Norris Cole or Dante Cunningham. It is the fact that Norris Cole and Dante Cunningham have to play meaningful roles that include almost double-digit shots game after game. Those players just won’t succeed in those roles.
- It is amazing to me that playing Omer Asik at least 12 minutes in each half remains hard. There is no excuse for a nine minute half for Asik when Cunningham gets 17 in the same time frame.
- This game basically ends the Pelicans playoff hopes. New Orleans has a few winnable games coming up but they need to win tough ones too and we haven’t seen the ability to do that in a bit. It stinks but it may be time to just let the injured guys rest a bit so nothing happens to them long-term.
- This one hurts so much because of the way it could have been stopped. 13 turnovers and 11 missed free throws in a one possession loss is just killer. It wasn’t just one player either, Every Pelican who played had at least one missed free throw or turnover besides Alexis Ajinca.
Tweet of the night:
@RickStoneNBA @PelicanDebrief pic.twitter.com/X7VE6tf7W2
— New Orleans Pelicans (@NOLA_Pelican) March 26, 2015
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