A franchise player out for the season. A first-year head coach. A 1-12 start. The New Orleans Pelicans overcame it all and stormed …
A franchise player out for the season. A first-year head coach. A 1-12 start. The New Orleans Pelicans overcame it all and stormed back to make the playoffs. Brandon Ingram scored 30 points and the Pelicans rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the depleted Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 in a play-in Friday night and earn the West’s No.8 seed. « That win was big-time, » Pelicans coach Willie Green said. New Orleans blew a 16-point lead in the first half and didn’t grab the lead for good until the game’s final 4 1/2 minutes. « It was an emotional game, a ton of highs and lows, » Green said. « But for us, our mentality is we’re going to continue to fight. We’re not going to fade out. » The Pelicans made the playoffs for the first time since 2017-18, guided by Green, a former Clipper. They’ve been without Zion Williamson all season because of a foot injury. « Starting off 1-12 and 3-16, you’re thinking when is it going to pick up? » rookie Trey Murphy said. « Being my first year, I don’t know what winning is like. Look at us now. » CJ McCollum added 19 points and Larry Nance Jr. had 14 points and 16 rebounds for New Orleans, which will play No.1 seed Phoenix in the first round. Game 1 is Sunday in the desert. « This team is resilient, » said Nance, who was traded, along with McCollum, from Portland in February and recently returned from knee surgery.
