Pelicans Remain Winless After Loss To Hawks

Pelicans starters struggle early leading to a third-straight loss in preseason.

New Orleans lost to the Atlanta Hawks 110-105 to remain winless after another sloppy performance in the preseason.  Coach Willie Green stressed the importance of discipline and attention to detail in caring for the basketball.   However, the Pelicans did not heed his warning.

New Orleans committed 27 turnovers on Thursday and 23 this afternoon against Atlanta.  The 17 first-half turnovers led to 13 points for the Hawks.

The Pelicans aimed to get Zion Williamson the ball early to establish an offensive rhythm, but turnovers hindered their progress.  Zion attempted nine shots and scored 11 points in the first half, showing more assertiveness than in the Rockets game.

They couldn't make shots when New Orleans maintained possession of the ball. At one point, the team was ice cold without a basket for over 8 minutes.   When Brandon Ingram's layup with a little more than six minutes to go before the half, the Pels made a field goal since the 2:25 mark in the first quarter.  By then, the Hawks had amassed a double-digit lead, capitalizing on the Pelicans' miscues and poor shooting.

Oct 14, 2023; College Park, Georgia, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (1) runs down court against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at Gateway Center Arena at College Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans shot 30% from the field in the first half, including CJ McCollum shooting 0/6 and Brandon Ingram 1/5.  The Pels also lost two key contributors to injury. Herb Jones left in the first quarter and did not return after injuring his head from a collision on a screen.  Forward Naji Marshall's injury appeared worse.  His knee buckled as he attempted to fight for a rebound.  He went down immediately, clutching his right knee, and left the court in a wheelchair.   The exact extent of his injury is unknown at this time. 

Dyson Daniels replaced Herb Jones in the starting lineup to start the second half with the other four starters.  The change in half didn't change the mindset of the Pelicans, nor the Hawks.  Atlanta stormed out to a 17-6 run and didn't look back.  The remaining Pelicans starters left in the third period at 4:58 as the team trailed 76-58.  

A few bright spots in the New Orleans' second and third units helped them mount a comeback in the game's late stages.

Rookie Jordan Hawkins led the team with 17 points and five three-pointers en route to his best game of the preseason.  Second-year forward E.J. Liddell also had a solid performance, scoring 10 points on 4/4 shooting.  New Orleans got within five points with close to 2 minutes remaining in the game but could not draw closer. 

Aside from turnovers, allowing opponents to score in the paint has been a significant weakness, resulting in the 0-3 preseason record.  After surrendering 52 points to the Rockets, New Orleans yielded 62 paint points to the Hawks.   The Pelicans have one game to get into the win column before the preseason ends.  A rematch to avenge the 122-105 preseason opener against Orlando will be at Amway Center for a 7 PM ET start on Tuesday, Oct. 17.