Pelicans lose 145-111 to the Nets for a fourth straight defeat
Brooklyn scored 83 points in the first half at the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday night and led by as many as 41. Zion Williamson scored 29 for New Orleans, which has now allowed at least 138 points in three straight games.
NEW ORLEANS: The New Orleans Pelicans lost their fourth game in a row on Wednesday night, falling 145-111 to the Brooklyn Nets at the Smoothie King Center in a game that was effectively decided before halftime.
Brooklyn put up 83 points in the first half, the third highest total the club has scored in any half since it moved to Brooklyn, according to the wire report of the game. The Nets took the first quarter 39-25, won the second quarter 44-41 in a period played with almost no resistance at either end, and reached the break ahead 83-66.
Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Demin scored 22 points each for Brooklyn. Demin was playing his first game back after sitting out six games with a bone bruise in his right leg, and he made four of his six three point attempts in 23 minutes. Julius Randle added 17 points, and Moritz Wagner and Noah Clowney scored 16 each off the bench.
Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 29 points in 30 minutes, making eight of 14 shots from the field and 12 of 14 free throws in his return after a rest night at Golden State on Monday. Saddiq Bey scored 15 points, and Jeremiah Fears and Jordan Poole added 14 each, but no other Pelican reached 12.
Whatever doubt remained ended early in the third quarter. Brooklyn opened the half with eight straight points, including three pointers from Demin and Day'Ron Sharpe, to push the margin to 91-66, and New Orleans managed only 15 points in the quarter. The Nets led by as many as 41 points before the closing minutes.
The team numbers describe the same game. Brooklyn shot 57 percent from the field and made 20 of 41 three pointers, won the rebounding count 50 to 41, and recorded 30 assists against 20 for New Orleans. The Pelicans shot 44.2 percent and committed 31 personal fouls.
The defeat deepens a defensive slide that has defined the week. New Orleans has allowed at least 138 points in each of its last three games, a run that began with a loss to the Clippers and peaked on Monday in the 51 point defeat at Golden State, the worst regular season loss in franchise history. The 145 points Brooklyn scored are the most the Pelicans have allowed this season.
It was also a rare offensive night for the visitors. The 145 points marked only the fifth time in franchise history, counting the club's years in New Jersey, that the Nets have reached that total in a game that did not go to overtime, and the win ended a two game losing streak for Brooklyn, which improved to 3-8.
New Orleans played without Trey Murphy III, who sat out with knee soreness. Brooklyn was without first round pick Mikel Brown Jr., sidelined by an illness, and guard Nolan Traore, who was out with right calf soreness.
The Pelicans, now 4-8, stay at home for their next game, an NBA Cup group matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night at the Smoothie King Center.
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