Pelicans at Pistons recap: The good, the bad, and the Lonzo Ball

The Pelicans can’t build off of a strong first quarter in loss to Detroit

Detroit didn’t look like your ordinary NBA bottom feeder on Sunday night. Their resume as a whole doesn’t have that appearance either as of late. While the Pistons only improved to 8-19 with their 123-112 win over New Orleans on Sunday night, they have beaten the NBA’s best and continue to play as hard as anyone in the league.

After a strong opening quarter offensively, the Pelicans struggled to stop a balanced Pistons attack as six players scored in double figures for Detroit. It was a disappointing return for Stan Van Gundy’s to the Motor City after his four-year run as president/head coach of the Pistons came to an end in 2018.

It was a relatively quiet night for Lonzo Ball, as Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram led the way offensively, despite an inefficient night for Ingram where he went cold at times. As a whole, it was the same old story without a different ending for the Pelicans. They struggled to get stops when it mattered most, and fell to 11-15 overall as a result.