New Orleans Pelicans: Lack of ball security critical in loss to Clippers

In another important game in this New Orleans Pelicans season, disappointment arose. The team’s lack of awareness in possession of the ball saw this one get out of hand.

After a tough loss to the Utah Jazz in their NBA season restart on Thursday night, the New Orleans Pelicans had another trying matchup with the LA Clippers on Saturday. For a Pelicans team that is fighting for their playoff lives, a game against Kawhi Leonard and Co. isn’t something you’re going to be too excited about. But this was a Clipper side with no Montrezl Harrell or Lou Williams, so it didn’t seem like the impossible task that it could’ve been.

On the night though, the Pelicans made the Clippers look a full-strength team. Carelessness in the possession of the ball and a lack of effort at times made it almost like a training game for head coach Doc Rivers’ squad. Perimeter defense was at an absolute low for the Pelicans, as Paul George, who was 8-for-11 from 3-point range, led the charge as the Clippers set a franchise record by hitting 25 3-pointers. 11 of those threes came from the bench as the Pelicans stood by and watched just about everyone chime in for the opposing offense.

Defensively, the Pelicans have struggled all season and it’s no secret that this team has a long way to go on that side of the ball. What was the most concerning aspect of the game was their inability to keep the ball whilst they had it. The Pelicans turned the ball over 18 times, but it felt like an awful lot more. The offense was rushed and careless attempts at moving the ball just saw possession flipped so easily on so many occasions.

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In their game against Utah, the Pelicans somehow had 20 turnovers and only lost the game by two points. For a team that had such a legitimate chance of making it into those play-in games, that’s just not something you can afford in consecutive games in Orlando. The 18 turnovers in the Clipper game saw 31 points conceded as a result, many of these coming from quick-fire 3-pointers where the Pelicans’ transition defense was just too slow and lacking in their attempts to get back.

The combination of sloppy turnovers and poor hustling in transition killed this game for Alvin Gentry’s team early on. There’s no way you can give up possession that easily, on so many occasions against an offense like the Clippers’ and not get punished for it.

Lonzo Ball, Jrue Holiday and Zion Williamson all finished the night with three turnovers, while Brandon Ingram had four. It is a cause for concern right now, and if the Pelicans were to go on from here and make the playoffs, it’s something that is going to be easily exploited in any potential series. Gentry and his side will need to work very hard on this over the offseason and going forward as it’s just the fundamentals.

There was nothing complicated letting them down over the past two games, just the basics. It is a young team, and this experience will help them learn as a team and get better going forward, but it’s also frustrating for a side with a shot at doing something special in Orlando to throw it all away due to silly mistakes.

The Pelicans now have a favorable schedule to conclude the regular season. However, it does start with a crucial matchup against the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. This is a game that the Pelicans really can’t afford to lose after back-to-back losses to begin the restarted season. They now sit 4.0 games back of the Grizzlies with the Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs and the Sacramento Kings all in the way, and have just six more games to put it right.

They’ll go into Monday’s matchup needing a win and those turnovers will have to come down if they are to do so.

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