Willie Green admits concerning areas Pelicans need to address after loss to Nets
11/12/2024 03:17 AM
The New Orleans Pelicans have fallen to 3-8 after losing to the rebuilding Brooklyn Nets, 105-107, thanks partly to Ben Simmons channeling Jason Kidd by dishing 12 dimes in 22 minutes off the bench. Losers of five straight, the Pelicans have some soul-searching to do as they went scoreless in the clutch once again, logging zero points in the final 3:35 of the Nets game. While sharpshooter Trey Murphy made his season debut after injuring his hamstring in training camp, he was one of very few bright spots in an overall ugly game. Pelicans coach Willie Green shared what he feels his team needs to improve on if they want to start winning.
“[Coach] Willie Green acknowledges they are 30th in rim and three rate and that’s something they have discussed with their group,” according to Pelicans writer Shamit Dua on X, formerly Twitter.
The Pelicans need fixing
Moreover, injuries haven’t helped the Pelicans win many games, including against rebuilding teams like the Nets.
For instance, Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a hamstring strain, while their latest trade acquisition Dejounte Murray is also out indefinitely with a broken hand.
Likewise, CJ McCollum and their best defender Herb Jones didn’t play on Monday.
It’s tough to maintain consistent play or a high rim and three rate when many of the top guys are out, and the team has to rely on rookies and bench guys to produce. Still, the Pelicans’ first-round pick Yves Missi stepped up with a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Asked about their scoreless fourth quarter, Green stressed consistency on both sides of the ball.
“We took some tough ones in the final 3 minutes,” the coach said, via Pelicans Film Room. “We were slow. They put their hands on us. It’s the same story. We have to be able to sustain.”
"We took some tough ones in the final 3 minutes… We were slow. They put they're hands on us. It's the same story. We have to be able to sustain."
— Willie Green on the closing stretch of tonight's game pic.twitter.com/8GkRHqWlag
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) November 12, 2024
Injuries and slumps happen during the grinding marathon of the regular season, but a team losing too many games early simply won’t succeed. Moreover, the Pelicans have a tough slate coming up, with games against the Thunder, Nuggets, and the Lakers.
They’d have to figure something out before the extremely competitive Western Conference buries them.
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