Late Game Execution Dooms Pelicans Again In Loss To Bulls
In this story:
New Orleans, LA - New Orleans drops another home loss with a 114-106 defeat to the Chicago Bulls Sunday evening. The Pelicans returned forward Brandon Ingram to the lineup after he missed the last two games with an illness. Still, New Orleans was missing key players such as CJ McCollum, Jose Alvarado, and Naji Marshall.
Brandon Ingram quickly made his presence felt, scoring five points in the first two Pelicans possessions. After back-to-back three-point shots from Trey Murphy III and Jordan Hawkins, the Pelicans grabbed an 18-10 lead midway through the quarter. Chicago then went a 15-0 run, thanks in part to multiple Pelicans turnovers. New Orleans committed seven in the quarter, leading to a 9-2 Bulls fastbreak advantage.
Feb 25, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) dribbles against Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Ayo Dosunmu led all scorers with 14 points, and the Bulls held a 28-21 lead after one quarter. Zion Williamson attempted just one shot in the quarter, as Chicago's No. 1 ranked opponent's paint-scoring defense stuffed the paint early on. The Pelicans got things going offensively in the second quarter. After falling down double-digits, New Orleans went on an 11-0 to grab the lead.
Brandon Ingram picked up the offensive load with 13 points in the period on 5/7 shooting. New Orleans didn't commit a turnover in the second quarter and finished the half shooting 11/23 from beyond the arc. A three-point shot at the buzzer by Trey Murphy III gave New Orleans a 60-57 lead at halftime. New Orleans appeared poised to create some separation in the third quarter.
The Pelicans went up by 12 midway through the third quarter, but once again, turnovers squandered their lead. They committed three turnovers in the final two minutes in the middle of a Bulls 11-0 run. Chicago's jumper at the end of the third quarter cut the Pels lead down to 82-81 before the final period. Both teams went back and forth in the final quarter.
Chicago held a three-point lead with under four minutes to play, a position the Pels have not fared well in this season. New Orleans came into the game 1-6 in games decided by three points or less. Down the stretch, the Pelicans again did not execute to get the victory. New Orleans made just one basket in the last 2:20 of the game, committing three turnovers in the last three minutes, and Chicago swept the season series with the victory. DeMar DeRozan finished with a game-high 24 points. Ingram finished with 22 points, but just four points in the second half.
New Orleans finished the game with 19 turnovers on the night, which the Bulls turned into 19 points. The Pelicans also went cold from the three-point line, going 5/18 in the second half. The Pelicans are on the road for the next two games, traveling to New York and then Indiana.
