New Orleans Pelicans fans have to be asking if this is rock bottom.
The Pelicans lost their third straight game, and for the seventh time in their last eight, as they fell to the Detroit Pistons, 127-81. The 46-point margin tied the record for the worst regular season loss in franchise history and set a new record for the worst home loss.
New Orleans has lost its last two home games by a combined 66 points. The Pels also lost forward Trey Murphy to a shoulder injury in the first quarter. His status has yet to be determined.
Zion Williamson led the Pelicans with 30 points in 28 minutes. Yves Missi added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Detroit had five players reach double figures, with Cade Cunningham scoring a team-high 24 points. Simone Fotecchio added 23 off the bench for the Pistons. Detroit’s reserves outscored the Pelicans’ backups 68-27.
New Orleans came out with another lackluster first quarter. The Pelicans allowed the Pistons to set the tone, as Detroit dominated inside, scoring 20 points in the paint in the first 12 minutes. Offensively, the Pelicans were abysmal as well.
The front-court trio of Yves Missi, Kelly Olynyk, and Karlo Matkovic scored all five first-quarter baskets for the Pelicans (5-of-9) with Zion Williamson adding a pair of free throws. The rest of the Pelicans went 0-for-18 as New Orleans fell behind 35-13.
The second quarter was much like the first, with the Pistons finding opportunities for early offense in transition or with minimal work in the half-court. Meanwhile, the Pelicans couldn’t make shots at all. New Orleans trailed by as many as 32 points before going into the half down 32-63.
New Orleans made a run in the third led by Williamson and Missi. If Zion wasn’t scoring, Missi cleaned up his misses, as the Pelicans cut the deficit to 19 midway through the period. Unfortunately, the Pistons were able to close the quarter with another surge. The Pels went into the fourth quarter trailing by 26.
Though Williamson would provide a couple of highlights, including a dunk over and through Isaiah Stewart, the Pelicans wouldn’t challenge in the fourth. Detroit opened the final frame with a 17-9 run, forcing Willie Green to call timeout with 8:51 to play and the Pelicans down by 33. The stoppage only delayed the inevitable as the Pistons won this one going away.
The Pelicans were dominated in every facet of the game as the Pistons shot 54.8% from the floor and outscored the Pelicans by 24 from beyond the arc. The Pels’ five three-pointers were one off their season-low.
Detroit beat New Orleans on the fast break 23-4 and 56-44 in points in the paint.
The Pelicans will head out on a three-game road trip, starting with a two-game series with the Minnesota Timberwolves before a rematch with the Pistons in Detroit on Sunday.
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