The New Orleans Pelicans have slipped from a playoff position to a play-in spot.
They have lost three straight games and four of five during a homestand that ends Friday night against the San Antonio Spurs. New Orleans (45-31) is tied with the Phoenix Suns for sixth place, but the Suns own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“We’ve got 45 wins. We’ve got six games left. It’s not the end of the world,” Pelicans guard CJ McCollum said. “We’d like to have won more games at home during this homestand, but if you told me we have six games left before the playoffs start and a way to control our own destiny, I would say I’ll take that.
“We’ve got to be better, obviously, get back to the basics, but we still have a say in how this season is going to finish up for us and we still have control over how we play.”
The Pelicans’ most recent loss was a 117-108 setback against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
New Orleans has played without second-leading scorer Brandon Ingram for the past two weeks because of a hyperextended knee. He’s scheduled to be re-evaluated Friday. Pelicans leading scorer Zion Williamson played just 29 minutes and missed most of the fourth quarter against the Magic because of a sore finger on his shooting hand.
New Orleans coach Willie Green said Thursday that Williamson is day-to-day.
The Pelicans’ frustration showed in the final seconds of Wednesday’s game when Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy III and Dyson Daniels were ejected in succession, apparently for complaining about the officiating.
“I get it, some calls aren’t going our way, we feel like other teams are getting those calls and our guys are frustrated about it — rightfully so,” Green said. “At the end of the game, we have to keep our composure.”
Friday’s game against the Spurs is the only one of the homestand that features an opponent with a losing record.
San Antonio (18-58) has the worst record in the Western Conference, but it had won three straight before consecutive close losses against the Golden State Warriors (117-113) on Sunday and the defending champion Denver Nuggets (110-105) on Tuesday night.
Devin Vassell (foot), Jeremy Sochan (ankle) and Keldon Johnson (foot) missed the game against the Nuggets, with Vassell and Sochan rules out for the rest of the season.
“That’s one of the most competitive games I have been part of for many years,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “For 48 minutes, under difficult circumstances, these guys just played. The effort for 48 was really impressive, the best I’ve seen all year. Losing sucks, but to see how far they have come this season is really a joy.”
Rookie Victor Wembanyama had 23 points, 15 rebounds, nine blocks and eight assists against Denver and center Nikola Jokic.
“I didn’t know I was close (to a quadruple-double),” Wembanyama said. “It’ll happen eventually, but I have other priorities.”
“For Victor to want to guard (Jokic) and to learn, it was a real testament to how good he wants to be,” Popovich said. “He is learning by the minute.”
The Pelicans have won the first three meetings against the Spurs this season.
–Field Level Media
