Despite struggles at times on both ends of the court on Monday, the Pelicans were in control down the stretch against the Pacers. Even after Victor Oladipo connected on a long three-pointer with 20.5 seconds left to pull the guests within three.
And then, as JJ Redick stumbled and Lonzo Ball struggled against the full-court pressure, the Pelicans handled Indiana a golden opportunity that they seized to force overtime and eventually win Monday’s game. It was a gut-punch of a loss that came from improbable odds as New Orleans made history on the night by snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
“I screwed that up,” head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “All we had to do was get a timeout when we were struggling with the press and we advance the ball up the floor and we probably win the game. So, that one was on me.”
Van Gundy also took the blame for failing to get Zion Williamson into the ballgame in overtime. After playing the entirety of the fourth quarter, Williamson sat to start the extra period and could not get back into the game until just over a minute left after standing at the scorer’s table for multiple minutes.
Ball, who committed the turnover that led to the game-tying Turner three, also took his share of the blame on the night as well.
“I probably should have just called a timeout,” Ball said, “but I got it into J.J. (Redick) and he got tripped or whatever and then he passed it to me and I lost the ball. Then, it was basically a 2-on-1 with Myles Turner and Victor Oladipo and I chose Oladipo and Myles hit the three.”
Ball had an equal hand in getting the Pelicans into the position to win late on Monday. Ball knocked down a corner three-pointer to give New Orleans a 96-94 lead then corralled a pass that bounced off the hands of Malcolm Brogdon 75 seconds later for another three, putting the hosts up 101-94 with 4:20 left.
Brandon Ingram scored the final five points of regulation and six of the team’s 10 points in overtime as part of his 31-point night. However, despite not being involved in the crucial turnover, he took his own share of the blame for the sequence.
“I know I should have made it a little bit easier for coach,” he said. “I could have just went and got the basketball and just cleared everybody out. I’m not sure what went wrong on that play but I know what I could have done.”
Ultimately, any number of Pelicans players and coaches alike could raise a hand for their role in the frustrating finish to Monday’s game. Bouncing back from that loss will be the main focus for the Pelicans as they host the Thunder on Wednesday.