Pelicans Busted by Blazers in 99-90 Defeat
By Mike Delayo
Going into last night, New Orleans had not won a game in Portland since 2010. Unfortunately they came up empty once again, ultimately losing 99-90.
The game was a roller coaster of an affair from the opening tip. New Orleans (41-35) got off to a hot start, leading by as much as 16 early.
Before by the time the first half was over, Portland (50-26) had flipped the score held a double digit lead off their own. The Pels fought back to take the lead half way through the fourth, but it was Portland who would ride one final run to a victory.
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Going by the numbers, the Pelicans did not have too much trouble scoring tonight. They shot just under 46% from the field and knocked down 7-16 three point attempts. Gordon and Evans scored 22 and 21 respectively while Davis tacked on 19 of his own.
Gordon seemed to be comfortable shooting from anywhere on the court tonight. Another stellar night from behind the arc (4/6) plus a few shots further inside led to another solid performance. His shooting is key if the Pels want any chance to compete with the strong teams that they will be coming up against.
Anthony Davis had a bit of a rough night. He finished 8-20 which is not awful, but he missed a lot of shots he usually knocks down. Hopefully AD can get back to his normal insanity for the final stretch.
April 3, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis (23) dunks the basketball against the Sacramento Kings during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Quincy Pondexter, who was red hot last night, came down to earth a bit tonight with a 1-5 shooting performance. Quincy has been money for quite some time now, so one off night is unlikely to deter him. Despite the shooting numbers he still posted the highest +/- on the team (+19) strangely enough.
For the Pelicans to really open up the floor with Evans at the point, it is critical that Q-Pon converts when he is called upon.
Last night was a typical night from Tyreke. He had questionable shot selection at times but overall he got the job done. He was slicing to the paint with relative ease, blowing past Nicolas Batum on multiple occasions. He stayed under control as well, dishing out 9 assists with only 1 turnover.
Usually when New Orleans takes better care of the ball than the opposition, they come out on top. Tonight they had one less TO than Portland (10-9) but they just could not take advantage
The stars of the Blazers were a bit shaky from the field. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge shot a combined 14/37 from the field. It seems as though these numbers should have been enough to vault the Pelicans to the upset.
Not quite.
The Pels were slaughtered in an area they usually hold their own: the defensive glass.
Portland managed to pull down 18 offensive boards, a massive advantage over the 9 of the Pels. Overall they won the rebounding battle 51-35, and that alone ultimately won them the game.
Former Hornets centers Chris Kaman and Robin Lopez led the charge with 6 offensive boards a piece. Most of the duos 24 points came off of these plentiful second chance opportunities which consisted of multiple uncontested lay ins right at the basket.
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No matter how cold stars get they will get their points if given the opportunity, which Lillard and Aldridge let the Pels know first hand.
Playing in Portland, which houses one the most passionate and electrifying fan bases in the NBA, on a second night of a back to back is a recipe for disaster.
Despite this, the Pelicans were in the game until late in the fourth quarter. They are a full game out of 8th place now, but as long as they rest up and prepare for the coming games, they are still very much alive in the playoff race.
They now will quickly look to shock the world against the mighty Golden State Warriors, on Tuesday night….