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Andrew LopezESPN
NEW ORLEANS – Friday night for three-quarters the New Orleans Pelicans went against the Phoenix Suns.
The Pelicans were 11 points ahead in the fourth quarter and their attack buzzed by 102 points in the first 36 minutes. But games last 48 minutes. And the last 12 were certainly the ones the Pelicans would like to quickly forget.
The lead evaporates in four minutes. Then, less than four minutes later, the suns were in double digits. When the last horn sounded, the Suns joyfully walked off the field with a 132-114 victory, while the Pelicans went stunned to their dressing room to find out what just happened.
According to research from the Elias Sports Bureau, the 18-point defeat was the NBA’s largest shot-clock era (since 1954-55) for a team entering the fourth quarter in double digits.
So what happened?
“I saw Chris Paul take control of the basketball game,” said Pelican forward Brandon Ingram.
Paul finished with 15 points and 19 assists and was plus-28 in the fourth quarter – and he didn’t even play 10 minutes. The experienced point guard helped the Suns take control and never looked back.
‘Man is out there orchestrating. He knows what’s going on on the floor before it even happens, ”said Sun Guardian Devin Booker. “With him the game is never out of reach. The game is never over until the horn sounds. He has guided us well and kept our composure throughout the game.
“In that fourth quarter, it’s a work of art. The way he plucked their defenses apart and made plays for others while also scoring when he had to.”
Paul was seemingly three steps ahead of everything the Pelicans wanted to do in the fourth quarter. His falling 3-pointer over Pelican Guard Lonzo Ball with 4:41 left felt like the dagger to put New Orleans away. He ran back onto the field with his teammates chasing him when Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy called a time-out to try and save something in the final minutes.
However, contrary to what social media suggested at the time, Paul didn’t scream, “I own this place.”
“I said, ‘I know this place, I know this place,'” said Paul, who spent the first six seasons of his career in New Orleans. ‘I know. I know. I’ve played some of the best years of my life here in New Orleans. ‘
While the Suns figured out a way to come out with the win, the Pelicans tried to figure out how to get rid of the game.
“Since we’re just in the game, I don’t think we get a little demoralized on the offensive end,” said Ball. “When we saw the three of them hitting back-to-back-to-back, we didn’t get any ball movement or good shots over the course of the fourth quarter. It just got worse and worse.”
Aside from the barrage of three-pointers that Phoenix sent to New Orleans, the Pelicans got sloppy with the basketball too. After making just seven sales in the first three quarters, the Pelicans coughed it up six times in the first six minutes, leading to 12 Phoenix points.
It’s a problem that has plagued New Orleans this season. With Friday’s loss, New Orleans drops to 12-9 this season in games where they have a double digit lead. That’s the most losses after a double-digit lead in the NBA this season, according to research from ESPN Stats & Information.
“The point is, when chaos reigns, we have to figure out how to settle down,” said Ingram. “We have to be able to adapt during the match.
“Whatever defensive plan, whatever we want to do on the offensive end to make our team the best team, that’s what we have to do. After these losses, it’s frustrating. We don’t have much to say. The coaches Don’t have that much to say. Just watch the movie and try to get better tomorrow. “
Van Gundy said he doesn’t think his team’s problem is age.
“Many teams in this league have quarters like this,” said Van Gundy. “I will never throw out the young card. We’re a basketball team with really talented people, and we didn’t get the job done in the fourth quarter.”
However, he called it a “disastrous neighborhood”. And it was. The minus 29 point difference was the largest for the Pelicans in any quarter in franchise history.
“They hit us at the end with hay machines, but then it just snowed,” added Van Gundy.
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson said there is only one way to deal with a loss like this.
“Really, it’s all about learning from it,” said the 20-year-old. ‘To be honest, I think that’s the best we can do. Learn from it. ‘