New Orleans Pelicans: Bizarre Eric Bledsoe quote summarizes season

The New Orleans Pelicans’ slim playoff chances got even slimmer after losing to the Knicks in dramatic and painful fashion.

As we’ve seen time and time agains this season, the Pelicans had a late lead only to watch it evaporate under a complete lack of late game execution.

Lonzo Ball has rightfully taken a lot of the heat for blowing his defensive assignment on the last Knicks’ possession in regulation, which led to Reggie Bullock’s game-tying 3-pointer.

Lonzo only had one job there, which was not to let Bullock get off a shot. Instead he tried to help on Derrick Rose and left Bullock open. The rest was predictable for Pelicans’ fans.

Lonzo owned up to his mistake and it was clearly just a case of a player reacting to the play and not thinking about the game situation, as he could have just let Rose have the layup and the Pelicans probably would have won.

I am not going to skewer Lonzo Ball too much, as even smart players make dumb mistakes, but he definitely didn’t do himself any favors when it comes to his next contract.

What was more concerning was Eric Bledsoe‘s huge mistake and then his comment about it after the game.

New Orleans Pelicans: Is Eric Bledsoe checked out?

Lonzo Ball wasn’t the only one who blew his assignment on the final play, as the Pelicans had a foul to give and Bledsoe clearly could have used it to prevent Rose from getting into the lane.

Bledsoe didn’t for some strange reason and his excuse for it was even stranger:

“Not paying attention”!!!  Are you kidding me with this? The New Orleans Pelicans are supposed to be battling for their playoff lives and just got done playing a very physical and competitive game against the Knicks that they should have won and this is your answer?

I’d expect a teenager to say something like this, not a long-time professional who is supposed to be an All-NBA defender.

Eric Bledsoe has been accused of checking out and not playing hard this season, something his teammates denied, but it’s hard not to feel this way when a guy basically shrugs his shoulders and says, “Yeah, I couldn’t be bothered to care.”

Lonzo Ball made a mental mistake and would be the first to admit it, but Eric Bledsoe just wasn’t paying attention which is far worse, and aptly summarizes the Pelicans’ season.

They might have a ton of talent but until they starting “paying attention” they will continue to lose games that they should win.

Like so many of the Pels’ losses this season, this one came down to a lack of execution down the stretch, which is a pity, as there were a lot of positives to take away from an otherwise competitive game where the Pelicans battled for 46 minutes or so.

Too bad games are 48 minutes.