Postgame Wrap

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Jim Eichenhofer

Shooting struggles and turnovers hampered New Orleans throughout its entire first-round series vs. Oklahoma City. The latter came back to haunt the Pelicans on Monday at the most inopportune time. The Thunder capitalized on critical mistakes by the home team in crunch time, turning a close game into a double-digit lead, finishing off a sweep over the No. 8 seed. Oklahoma City went on a 15-2 run to help close out the victory. Neither team could gain control for much of the first three quarters before OKC sealed the outcome. The Pelicans finished with just 22 assists against 19 turnovers, barely posting a positive assist-to-turnover ratio for the first time since Game 1.

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Jonas Valanciunas Game 4 Highlights vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 NBA Playoffs

The Knife and JV.Naji Marshall and Jonas Valanciunas were undisputed positives from what turned out to be the Pelicans’ season finale. Marshall was often the team’s most productive player and showed up at both ends of the floor all game, finishing with 16 points in 22 minutes off the bench. He shot 4/7 from three-point range on a night when New Orleans needed all of the help it could get in that category. Valanciunas did his damage in the paint, frequently going head-up against Chet Holmgren and rolling to 19 points and 13 rebounds, in a modest 26 minutes.Defensive battle.New Orleans did not produce a quality offensive performance all series, but the difference Monday was that Oklahoma City also misfired on open shots, making Game 4 significantly more competitive and compelling than the prior two matchups. The Thunder only shot 43 percent from the field and 30 percent on threes, but that still bested the Pelicans (38 and 24). OKC also had a bad night at the foul line (15 of 24, 63 percent). NOLA’s problem was it generated 22 points or less in three separate quarters, including just 18 in the fourth.Another step, but a tough ending.New Orleans has gone from 36 to 42 to 49 wins over the past three regular season, showing tangible progress that has also somewhat tracked incrementally to Zion Williamson’s availability during that span (0 to 29 to 70 regular season appearances). The Pelicans undoubtedly have made major improvements while going from a play-in team amid a down West field in 2022, to coming within a whisker of a top-six seed in 2024. Still, in the playoffs New Orleans did not resemble the team that tied the second-best record in franchise history (49-33) from October to mid-April. Williamson’s left hamstring strain prevented him from making his NBA playoff debut.

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Naji Marshall Game 4 Highlights vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 NBA Playoffs

10: New Orleans steals, an improvement from prior games, part of OKC’s 14 turnovers. Jose Alvarado led the Pelicans with three thefts.50-44: Pelicans rebounding edge on Thunder. New Orleans couldn't fully capitalize on being more effective in this category for much of the series.3:43: Rookie Jordan Hawkins’ minutes, after he had not been in the rotation during the first three games of the series.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green speaks to the media following the team's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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Willie Green | Pelicans vs. Thunder 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Postgame

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram speaks to the media following the team's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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Brandon Ingram | Pelicans vs. Thunder 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Postgame

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum speaks to the media following the team's loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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CJ McCollum | Pelicans vs. Thunder 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 4 Postgame

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 4 | 2024 NBA Playoffs

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 4 Fans and Entertainment | 2024 NBA Playoffs

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Thunder Game 4 Pregame | 2024 NBA Playoffs

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Thunder 97, Pelicans 89: Jonas Valanciunas 19 points | Game 4 postgame wrap

Top-seeded Oklahoma City spent much of the season at or near the top of the Western Conference standings, but didn’t necessarily garner the type of attention or respect granted to a club in that elite tier. Three games into a first-round series vs. New Orleans, the Thunder have shown exactly how formidable they can be, despite being led primarily by players age 25 and under. For a second straight meeting, Oklahoma City built a big lead and rolled to victory, this time spoiling the Pelicans’ first home playoff game since 2022. The visitors went up by 14 points at halftime and extended that to 20-plus early in the fourth quarter.

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Photos: Thunder vs. Pelicans Game 3 | 2024 NBA Playoffs

Playoff Game 3 highlights from New Orleans Pelicans vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 2024 NBA Playoff Game 3 on Saturday, April 27, 2024 as forward Brandon Ingram hits a three-point field goal to end the third quarter.

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Brandon Ingram beats the buzzer to end 3rd quarter | Pelicans-Thunder Playoff Game 3 Highlights 4/27/24

Playoff Game 3 highlights from New Orleans Pelicans vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 2024 NBA Playoff Game 3 on Saturday, April 27, 2024 as forward/center Larry Nance Jr. throws down a putback dunk.

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Larry Nance Jr. throws down the putback jam | Pelicans-Thunder Playoff Game 3 Highlights 4/27/24

Playoff Game 3 highlights from New Orleans Pelicans vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 2024 NBA Playoff Game 3 on Saturday, April 27, 2024 as forward Trey Murphy III throws down an alley-oop dunk on the assist by guard CJ McCollum.

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Trey Murphy III throws down the alley-oop | Pelicans-Thunder Playoff Game 3 Highlights 4/27/24

OKC defensive shutdown.The Thunder ranked fourth in the NBA during the regular season in defensive efficiency and have looked every bit of that against the Pelicans, swarming Brandon Ingram in the mid-range area and making life difficult for CJ McCollum as well. With Zion Williamson sidelined, New Orleans needed big performances from both primary scorers, but neither have shot well or found any rhythm, outside of brief stretches.Mistakes compound offensive issues.As was the case during Game 2 on Wednesday, the Pelicans helped contribute to the Thunder’s defensive prowess with a combination of too many turnovers (21) and a rough early shot diet of difficult jumpers. The hosts threw several passes with not enough mph to avoid them getting stolen by Oklahoma City, accounting for some of the turnovers. New Orleans only managed 46 first-half points but had even more trouble generating consistent offense after intermission. "We have to be really sound in our execution," Pelicans coach Willie Green said, noting that interior passing in close quarters factored into the high-turnover count.Game 4.New Orleans will try to avoid having its season come to an end Monday (tip-off will be at 8:30 p.m. if Denver wins Saturday, but 7:30 if the Lakers prevail and avoid being swept). “We still have a game, that’s all it is,” forward Trey Murphy said, when asked how the Pelicans will approach Monday. “So you’ve got to try to win.” In NBA playoff history, no team has ever rallied back from an 0-3 series deficit to advance; only a handful of teams in that predicament have ever even forced a Game 7. New Orleans has only been swept once in its franchise history, doing so in 2015 against a Golden State squad that went on to capture the first of its four NBA titles over an eight-season span.

40/33: New Orleans shooting percentages from the field and three-point line in the first half, respectively, digging a big hole.4: Games Oklahoma City has held New Orleans to 92 points or less this season, including all three playoff meetings. That’s only happened in two other Pelicans games (vs. Boston, vs. Lakers in Las Vegas) during the entire 2023-24 campaign.28-18: Oklahoma City advantage in assists. NOLA veterans CJ McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. accounted for 12 of those 18 dimes.

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Thunder 106, Pelicans 85: Brandon Ingram 19 points | Game 3 postgame wrap

Shots were falling with regularity on one end of the floor, while the only consistent development at the other end of Paycom Center was a whistle and moving-screen offensive fouls. That unfavorable combination, along with a few other areas of Oklahoma City excellence, led to a Thunder one-sided victory, in a drastically different outcome than Sunday’s nail-biting series opener. Top-seeded Oklahoma City stepped onto the floor and was immediately red-hot shooting-wise, eventually building up a lead of 30-plus points as New Orleans struggled to generate offense for a second straight game in the Sooner State.

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Pelicans Highlights: Jonas Valanciunas with 19 points vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 2

Playing through JV.The first few minutes were promising for New Orleans, as center Jonas Valanciunas went to work in the paint and scored his team’s first 11 points, nearly all on post-ups and layups. However, Oklahoma City then rapidly took over, seizing a 35-22 lead by the end of the first quarter. In a contrast of styles with Valanciunas, rookie Chet Holmgren spotted up beyond the three-point arc and joined the barrage of Thunder perimeter accuracy, racking up 20 points by halftime.Outage from the arc.The Pelicans needed all of their starting center’s interior production, because their jumpers simply were not falling. The Thunder were better early in a variety of areas, but their starkest advantage came from three-point shooting (10/18 in the first half, compared to the Pelicans going 5/15, including just one make in the first quarter). New Orleans actually got much more efficient play statistically from its primary scorers than in Game 1, but they were robbed of extra opportunities due to the club’s rampant turnovers.Return home.After a long road trip to the West Coast, followed by a three-game Blender stretch of trying to get into the playoffs, then a quick weekend turnaround to OKC, the Pelicans will host their first playoff game since April 2022 on Saturday afternoon. “We regroup, we get home and we take care of home court,” head coach Willie Green said of his team’s outlook. Saturday won’t be a literal must-win situation, but no team in NBA history has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, and only a few have even forced a Game 7 after being in that hole.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green's postgame interview after Game 2 against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs (4/24/2024).

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Willie Green recaps loss | Pelicans-Thunder Game 2 Postgame | 2024 NBA Playoffs

New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram scored with 18 points in the team's Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, April 24 during Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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Pelicans Highlights: Brandon Ingram with 18 points vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 2

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones scored with 18 points in the team's Game 2 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, April 24 during Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

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Pelicans Highlights: Herbert Jones with 18 points vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | 2024 NBA Playoffs Game 2

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Photos: Thunder vs. Pelicans Game 2 | 2024 NBA Playoffs

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Photos: Pelicans host Game 2 watch party at Lucy's | 2024 NBA Playoffs

9: New Orleans offensive fouls (stat via Pelicans TV), accounting for half of its 18 turnovers.1: Time during the regular season New Orleans was held under 100 points in consecutive games. The Pelicans actually won both of those games (Feb. 10 and 12 at Memphis, at Portland).1: Time during the regular season New Orleans lost a game by 30-plus points. That took place in Las Vegas in the In-Season Tournament semifinals.

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Thunder 124, Pelicans 92: Jonas Valanciunas 19 points | Game 2 postgame wrap

A game that featured 13 ties and 20 lead changes came down to one final shot at the buzzer. CJ McCollum’s difficult three-pointer from the left wing was just a bit long, hitting the back rim as the final horn sounded. Top-seeded Oklahoma City survived with a two-point victory, after No. 8 New Orleans had several chances in the final two minutes to take a lead. Sunday’s game was marked by low scoring from both sides, starting with a first quarter that ended in a deadlock at just 17 apiece. The Pelicans didn’t tally more than 26 points in any quarter, yet still had a golden opportunity to pull off a Game 1 road win during clutch time.

Playoff basketball (and playoff defense) arrives.Three-point attempts were plentiful but foul shots were not for much of the series opener, a testament to the way Sunday’s game was defended and officiated. The first half in Paycom Center was reminiscent of a 1990s grudge match between the Heat and the Knicks, with physicality on defense making it tough to create open shots, especially in the paint. The second half wasn't much different. Oklahoma City finished at 43.5 percent from the field, but that was actually the higher rate among the two teams and enough to prevail.Make-or-miss league.With drivers getting redirected regularly on attempted trips to the basket, the shot that was most available for both teams tended to be the three-pointer – which was a problem based on how they were shooting from the perimeter. The Pelicans went 11/39 (28 percent), an extreme outlier compared to the red-hot way they’ve drained jumpers on the road over the past two months. Meanwhile, the Thunder were only slightly better at 10/32 (31 percent), but made a few more key looks than the visitors as the night progressed.Scramble across the finish line.The final minutes of a nip-and-tuck game featured several hectic, frantic possessions from both teams, with New Orleans rushing shots in several instances, while Oklahoma City had a couple bad passes tossed out of bounds without much defensive pressure.“We needed to be more poised,” Pelicans head coach Willie Green said of how his squad handled the late-game scenario. “We took some (quick) shots. I thought we got a little sped up once we got those opportunities to shoot the ball (after offensive rebounds).”

20: Jonas Valanciunas rebounds, becoming the first player in New Orleans franchise history to notch 20-plus boards in two different playoff games. He did that by just his seventh career playoff appearance for the Pelicans.16-2: New Orleans second-chance points edge in the first half. Unfortunately for the Pelicans, they couldn’t take advantage in the fourth quarter of several extra possessions, including a costly sequence with the game tied. NOLA won offensive rebounds 18-8, an area it had a major on-paper advantage over OKC this season.9: Free throw attempts for the Pelicans. They did not shoot single-digit foul shots in any game throughout the entire regular season.

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Thunder 94, Pelicans 92: Trey Murphy 21 points | Game 1 postgame wrap

Being part of a deep New Orleans rotation has meant their roles have fluctuated lately from week to week and even game to game, but Jonas Valanciunas and Naji Marshall, among others, delivered in a big way when their names were called Friday. As a result, the Pelicans are headed to the playoffs and a first-round series vs. Oklahoma City. Valanciunas rumbled to a double-double against Sacramento, while Marshall provided a big jolt of energy off the bench, as did center Larry Nance Jr. and guard Jose Alvarado. The Pelicans relied on major contributions from many to beat the Kings for a sixth consecutive time in 2023-24 (and a second time without Zion Williamson). New Orleans advanced to the playoffs for the second time over a three-year span, the first time the club has done that since 2009 and 2011.

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Highlights: Brandon Ingram with 24 points vs. Sacramento Kings | NBA Play-In Tournament 4/19/24

Two-headed monster at center.Facing elite center Domantas Sabonis, it was reasonable to expect the Kings would hold at least a statistical upper hand at the position, but Valanciunas and Nance combined for 32 points and 16 rebounds. Valanciunas powered into the paint for 19 points and 12 rebounds (six at the offensive end), continuing his run of similar effectiveness against Sacramento all season. Sabonis went for 23 and 14, but beyond he and De'Aaron Fox (35 points), the Kings didn't get enough production to stay close during several portions of the game.Knifing into the playoffs.Marshall’s aggression in 24 minutes off the bench was embodied by a defensive play where he pulled the ball out of a prone Keegan Murray’s hands, raced to the other end and threw down a fast-break dunk. The fourth-year forward made a major impact in shifting the momentum toward the Pelicans, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block. Not surprisingly to anyone who watched Friday, he posted a team-best plus-17.BI’s third game back.It took a little time for the New Orleans offense and Brandon Ingram to get rolling Friday, but he eventually found a groove on his way to 24 points on 10/20 shooting from the field. It was his best performance since returning from a March 21 knee injury; he logged 37 minutes in his third game. Coincidentally, his 24/6/6 stat line was very similar to the 27/6/6 he put up in his first NBA playoff series vs. Phoenix in 2022.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points in the team's Play-In Tournament win against the Sacramento Kings on April 19, 2024

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Highlights: Jonas Valanciunas with 19 points vs. Sacramento Kings | NBA Play-In Tournament 4/19/24

New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III scored 16 points in the team's Play-In Tournament win against the Sacramento Kings on April 19, 2024

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Highlights: Trey Murphy III with 16 points vs. Sacramento Kings | NBA Play-In Tournament 4/19/24

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament postgame interviews with head coach Willie Green after the Pelicans' 105-98 win over the Kings on Friday, April 19 during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Willie Green recaps win over Sacramento | Pelicans-Kings Play-In Postgame 4/19/2024

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings NBA Western Conference Play-In Tournament postgame interviews with forward Trey Murphy III and guard CJ McCollum after the Pelicans' 105-98 win over the Kings on Friday, April 19 during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Trey Murphy III, CJ McCollum talk big win, OKC series | Pelicans-Kings Play-In Postgame 4/19/2024

1: Team in NBA history with a record of 49-33 or better that have missed the playoffs (the 1971-72 Phoenix Suns). New Orleans avoided becoming the second.29-21: New Orleans advantage in assists, led by six apiece from Ingram and Trey Murphy.9: New Orleans steals, with two apiece by Alvarado, Nance and Marshall.

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Kings NBA Play-In Tournament | Locker Room, Postgame Reactions 4/19/24

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Kings NBA Play-In Tournament Game | Fans and Entertainment 4/19/24

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Kings NBA Play-In Tournament Game 4/19/2024

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Kings NBA Play-In Tournament | Pregame Arrivals and Warmups 4/19/2024

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Pelicans 105, Kings 98: Brandon Ingram 24 points | Play-in postgame wrap

In the first NBA postseason game of his career, Zion Williamson turned in one of his best performances as a pro, but Los Angeles continued a trend that’s marked nearly every Pelicans-Lakers matchup over the past two seasons, controlling the action for much of the night. Despite Williamson’s huge game and a second-half comeback by New Orleans, Los Angeles held on to win, advancing to the playoffs. Williamson’s 40-point night turned sour late in the fourth quarter, with him leaving the court for the locker room after sustaining an injury. Willie Green later described it as “left leg soreness,” adding that Williamson will undergo testing Wednesday to determine his status. D’Angelo Russell swished a back-breaking three in the final minute, giving the Lakers a four-point lead with 50 seconds left, after the Pelicans had trailed by as many as 18 points.

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Lakers NBA Play-In Tournament Game 4/16/2024

Play-In highlights from New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson vs. the Los Angeles Lakers in their 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

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Zion runs the length of the floor in under 5 seconds | Pelicans-Lakers Play-In Highlights 4/16/24

Play-In highlights from New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson shatters the glass off the dime from Jose vs. the Los Angeles Lakers in their 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

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Zion off the alley-oop from Jose | Pelicans-Lakers Play-In Highlights 4/16/24

Play-In highlights from New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III vs. the Los Angeles Lakers in their 2024 NBA Play-In Tournament game on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

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Trey sinks a DEEP 3 and gets the block on the other end | Pelicans-Lakers Play-In Highlights 4/16/24

Zion for 40. Although play-in games don’t register in the official regular season or playoff statistics, Tuesday was the second-best scoring night of Williamson’s career, behind only a 43-point outing vs. Minnesota in December 2022. Williamson shot 17/27 from the field, finding the cracks in LA’s interior defense for layups and dunks. He also contributed rebounds (11), assists (five), a steal and a block over his 36 minutes of playing time. That total certainly would’ve climbed to 39 minutes, but he had to exit the contest for the final three-ish minutes, firing a towel to the floor in frustration near the home-team bench as he went to the locker room.Second-half turnaround.After the Lakers built a double-digit lead in the first half for a second straight game in New Orleans, it started looking bleak for the hosts, but they were able to generate many more vital defensive stops after intermission. The Lakers shot 50 percent from three-point range early Tuesday, after they reached 55 percent from the field Sunday. However, after falling behind 60-50 at halftime Tuesday, the Pelicans held their guests to 23 and 27 points in the latter two quarters, respectively. LA finished at just 42 percent from the floor, but that was boosted by 14/35 three-point accuracy (40 percent).Bench comes up big.Trey Murphy nailed deep jumpers, Jose Alvarado scored and dished. Larry Nance Jr. did a little of everything. Those three New Orleans reserves played so well that they all were on the floor in the fourth quarter, as the Pelicans tried to finish a comeback. All three subs contributed double-digit scoring (led by 12 from Murphy), while Nance notched a double-double (12 rebounds, to go with five assists) and Alvarado handed out seven assists with only one turnover. NOLA’s second unit has been a strength all 2023-24 and was again this time.

50-41: New Orleans rebounding advantage. The Lakers’ size was a major problem in Sunday’s regular season finale, but the Pelicans had three players post double-digit rebounds in the play-in rematch.62-36: The Pelicans’ edge in points in the paint Tuesday. That represented a significant reversal from Sunday, when the Lakers rolled to 50 points in the first half alone.5-0, 2-1: New Orleans records vs. Sacramento and Golden State this season, respectively. One of those teams will be the Pelicans’ Friday opponent in the Blender. The Kings and Warriors tipped off at 9 p.m. Central Tuesday.

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Lakers 110, Pelicans 106: Zion Williamson 40 points | Play-in postgame wrap

New Orleans couldn’t capitalize on an opportunity Sunday to earn a playoff berth in its final game of the regular season. The Pelicans will now get a second chance to qualify for the Western Conference’s eight-team playoff field Tuesday – against the same opponent, in the same venue. Los Angeles built a lead of 30-plus points and beat New Orleans, dropping the Pelicans to the No. 7 seed in the play-in tournament and pushing Phoenix into the top six. The Lakers will remain in the Crescent City for the next 48 hours and face the Pelicans again Tuesday in the Smoothie King Center. The winner of Tuesday’s game will meet second-seeded Denver in the West quarterfinals, while the loser will face a must-win situation Friday to keep its season alive, against either Sacramento or Golden State.

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Pelicans will get rematch vs. Lakers in Tuesday play-in game

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones tallied 18 points in the team's regular season finale loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

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Pelicans Highlights: Herbert Jones with 18 points vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4/14/24

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum tallied 25 points in the team's regular season finale loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, April 14, 2024.

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Pelicans Highlights: CJ McCollum with 25 points vs. Los Angeles Lakers 4/14/24

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Photos: Pelicans vs. Lakers | Game Action 4/14/24

Brutal second quarter.As magical as Friday’s second period at Golden State was for the Pelicans – who canned 10 three-pointers and outscored the Warriors 45-22 – the opposite took place Sunday vs. LA. The Lakers took control for good on the strength of a 40-29 edge in that quarter, stretching their lead to 17. D’Angelo Russell came out firing in the third quarter, ballooning the margin to as many as 32.Ingram’s return.In his first game in 24 days, Brandon Ingram provided some early offense and didn’t look overly rusty while coming back from the March 21 knee injury he sustained at Orlando. The eighth-year forward finished with 13 points on 6/9 shooting, grabbing five rebounds.CJ still rolling.CJ McCollum closed out the 11th regular season of his NBA career with a seventh consecutive game of 25-plus points, this time tallying exactly 25 Sunday on 9/19 shooting. He had a case for being the NBA’s best perimeter shooter in the late stages of 2023-24, including sinking 29 three-pointers on the team’s unbeaten four-game road trip.

82: Jonas Valanciunas games played this season, becoming just the 11th different player in team history to appear in every contest on an 82-game schedule.50-12: Lakers staggering first-half advantage over the Pelicans in points in the paint. LA constantly had cutters appear open along the baseline.19: New Orleans turnovers. Mistakes were particularly costly early in igniting the Lakers' fast start.

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Lakers 124, Pelicans 108: CJ McCollum 25 points | Postgame wrap

Playing against one of the NBA’s greatest all-time shooters and one of the best perimeter teams in NBA history, CJ McCollum was just a little bit better, making the biggest shot of Friday’s game and one of the most important of New Orleans’ season. As a result, the Pelicans moved to the verge of clinching a playoff berth. After New Orleans built a lead and held it for much of the evening, Golden State rallied back to within a possession, but McCollum sank a stepback three-pointer with 1:02 left, giving the visitors a 112-106 edge. The Pelicans prevailed despite a few trademark late-game treys from Stephen Curry, the game's most prolific three-point shooter ever.

New Orleans finished its 2023-24 road schedule with a franchise-record 28 wins, which was also good for the NBA’s best away mark this season. The Pelicans punctuated that run of success with one of their most dramatic victories, holding off the Warriors in clutch time. Roughly a half-hour after Friday's final buzzer, seventh-seeded Phoenix held on to beat Sacramento by a point, preventing the Pelicans from clinching the No. 6 seed and a trip to the playoffs. They'll have the opportunity to do so Sunday afternoon in Game 82 vs. the Lakers.

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Pelicans Highlights: CJ McCollum with 28 Points vs. Golden State Warriors 4/12/2024

A quarter to remember.On his way to setting the single-season team record for three-pointers made – despite missing a chunk of games due to a lung injury – McCollum went ballistic in Friday’s second quarter from downtown. The 11-year NBA veteran drained five three-pointers in the period, half of his team’s long-range marksmanship – the Pelicans totaled 10 treys, with Trey Murphy adding three and Jose Alvarado and Dyson Daniels each sinking one. As a result, New Orleans won that period 45-22, turning a nine-point deficit into a 14-point lead.Playoff-like rotation.Sure, it was the second game of a back-to-back and the 81st game of a lengthy season, but this was no time to rest anyone. McCollum logged 22 first-half minutes out of 24. Murphy played 21. Meanwhile, Willie Green only used three reserves all night, including just two beyond minimal action. The stakes warranted a significant workload for several Pelicans, particularly the ones who lit up Chase Center with accuracy from beyond the arc. Four starters logged at least 36 minutes, led by Murphy's 42.Sunday Sunday Sunday!The West race has come down to the final day of the season in epic fashion, with the top three teams sharing identical 56-25 records. One member of that trio – Minnesota – will host Phoenix on Sunday, with a Suns loss guaranteeing that the Pelicans wrap up the No. 6 seed. New Orleans will simultaneously host the Lakers at 2:30 p.m., knowing that a Pels victory would also lock up a playoff berth. The Lakers also will have plenty of incentive, because a win for them means they will end up as a No. 8 seed in the play-in tournament and get two chances to win once. No. 9 Sacramento and No. 10 Golden State both are just a game behind the Lakers and have winnable games Sunday vs. Portland and Utah, respectively, meaning a loss by LA could mean a drop back to the 9-10 play-in matchup (the loser's season ends).

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Pelicans Highlights: Zion Williamson with 26 Points vs. Golden State Warriors 4/12/2024

20/38: New Orleans three-point shooting. McCollum finished 8/13, while Murphy was 6/9.6: Zion Williamson steals, his career high. The Pelicans came up with 11 thefts, often getting in the personal space of Warriors ballhandlers.12: Years since New Orleans had won twice on Golden State’s home floor in the same season (the Pelicans previously battered the Warriors on Jan. 10). The 2011-12 Hornets did so with a second GSW road win on April 24, 2012.

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green's postgame interview after the Pelicans' game against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, April 12 during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Willie Green recaps win over Golden State | Warriors-Pelicans Postgame Interview 4/12/2024

New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson's postgame interview after the Pelicans' game against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, April 12 during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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Zion Williamson talks growth throughout season | Warriors-Pelicans Postgame Interview 4/12/2024

New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum 's postgame interview after the Pelicans' game against the Golden State Warriors on Friday, April 12 during the 2023-24 NBA season.

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CJ McCollum talks mindset | Warriors-Pelicans Postgame Interview 4/12/2024

Forward Trey Murphy III scored 24 points and hit 6-of-9 (.667) of his three point field goals during the New Orleans Pelicans game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12 in the Chase Center.

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Pelicans Highlights: Trey Murphy III with 24 Points vs. Golden State Warriors 4/12/2024

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Photos: Pelicans at Warriors | Game Action 4/12/2024

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Pelicans 114, Warriors 109: CJ McCollum 28 points | Postgame wrap

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