Willie Green's Statement After Pelicans vs Rockets

Pelicans head coach Willie Green addressed the media after a road loss to the Houston Rockets.

Dec 12, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green reacts to a play against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New Orleans Pelicans fell to the Houston Rockets 133-113 on Thursday night. The loss drops New Orleans to 5-23 on the season, the worst record in the Western Conference. After finishing the season with the most road wins last year, the Pelicans have won just one game away from the Smoothie King Center this year.

Defense has always been the calling card for head coach Willie Green. New Orleans finished sixth in defense the past two seasons, but injuries and inconsistent play have the Pelicans reeling defensively this year. On Thursday, the Rockets shot 75% from the field in the first quarter, scoring 39 points and never looking back. Coach Green addressed the media about his team's slow start to this game.

"It started in the first quarter. They got out to an early lead. Alot of it had to do with our lack of physicality," Green told reporters. "We gave them too much, and it started in the first quarter."

LIVE: Willie Green@CaesarsSports https://t.co/onlClkeQYJ

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 20, 2024

The Pelicans again played without Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, who are both out indefinitely with injuries. New Orleans has yet to provide an update on their injuries, so both players are assumed to be out for the foreseeable future. Rumors have already circulated about the team's future with the dismal start to the season and the team over the luxury tax.

Ingram is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. After failing to agree on an extension with the team over the offseason, the Pelicans could look to get some future assets for the former all-star forward.

Williamson signed an extension with the team in 2022, but the contract contained stipulations and clauses regarding his weight and game availability. Failure to meet those would result in non-guaranteed money on his deal. With his continued lack of availability on the court, a decision to keep the two-time all-star could be on the horizon.

The Pelicans return home on Saturday night against the New York Knicks.

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