Despite a hot start and strong first-half performance against the best team in the league, the Pelicans fell to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, 120-108.
The Good: The first half
Particularly, the first quarter. New Orleans came out of the gates strong, hitting six three-pointers in the first quarter while shooting 46.2% overall. They followed that up by a slower second half but connected on 10 first-half three-pointers and led 61-58 at the break.
It was as strong a start the team could have asked for. Unfortunately, the third quarter followed, a period in which the Pelicans shot 9-of-27 from the field and 3-of-13 from three while the Bucks shot 53.6% from the field and 45.5% from three.
Honorable mentions: Brandon Ingram
The Bad: Playoff hopes
The Pelicans put themselves in a bad position this year by losing 13 straight games. A valiant push in the end of December into January made the playoffs attainable. But following Thursday’s loss, New Orleans is now 5.5 games back of Memphis with the two sides going in opposite directions.
The Pelicans do still play Memphis twice more but the already thin playoff hopes are only decreasing.
Honorable mentions: Jrue Holiday
The Ball: Double-double
Lonzo Ball notched a double-double on the night and started off strong from the field. However, a poor second half where he hit one of his seven shots and none of his three-pointers left him with a final line of 4-of-12 shooting from the field and 3-of-10 from three.
But he did still finish with a double-double after pulling down a team-high 14 rebounds.