Willie Green's Honest Statement After Pelicans vs Hawks

Pelicans coach Willie Green addresses the state of his team after losing their ninth straight game.

Nov 29, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green talks with guard Dejounte Murray (5) during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans lost their ninth straight game on Monday as they fell to the Atlanta Hawks 124-112. There was a better effort than New Orleans showed on Sunday versus the Knicks, when the team scored just 28 points in the first half. The Pelicans scored 28 points in the first quarter on Monday.

Dejounte Murray played his first game against his former team after being traded to the Pelicans this offseason. Murray struggled shooting the basketball from the field, going 2/15 and scoring just 7 points. There are no moral victories in the NBA and Pelicans coach Willie Green is still searching for answers to get this team back on track.

"I give our guys credit," Green said after the game. "They went out with the right intentions, played hard, competed their tails off, but once again just coming up short and not being able to finish four quarters and finish the game with a win."

LIVE: Willie Green#Pelicans | @CaesarsSports https://t.co/IXaj5IxLDs

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 3, 2024

The Pelicans played Monday's game without Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, both nursing lower-body injuries. Ingram is out with calf soreness and hasn't played since November 22nd. The former all-star forward was listed as questionable before the game and warmed up pregame, but the team announced he would miss his fourth straight game shortly before tip-off.

Williamson remains out indefinitely with a hamstring injury, causing him to appear in just six games this season. There are some bright spots this season, including rookie center Yves Missi, who continues to improve each game. The rookie center had another double-double on Monday, scoring 21 points and collecting 11 rebounds.

The Pelicans return home on Thursday night to face the Phoenix Suns. New Orleans hopes to get Ingram and possibly Herb Jones back on the court. Jones was upgraded to doubtful for Monday's game, so his return to action is close.

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