James Borrego hopes his staff’s taking pictures stage matches its defensive depth when the New Orleans Pelicans take a second shot at a primary win for his or her interim coach Monday night time in opposition to the visiting Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
Sitting on the finish of the New Orleans bench for the primary time within the wake of the firing of coach Willie Inexperienced, Borrego watched his staff put forth a spirited defensive effort in opposition to the Golden State Warriors in a 124-106 residence loss on Sunday night time.
However the Pelicans shot simply 28% on 3-pointers (8 of 29) and had been outscored 72-24 from deep in a loss that in any other case would have gone down as an amazing success in opposition to Golden State’s All-Star guard Stephen Curry, who was held to 9 factors.
New Orleans had allowed opponents to attain 118 or extra factors in every of Inexperienced’s ultimate 4 outings, prompting Borrego to proclaim earlier than Sunday’s sport that improved protection can be the highest precedence underneath his watch.
“Our protection is missing in communication,” the previous Charlotte Hornets head coach advised reporters. “The purpose is that we enhance in that.”
The Warriors received by burying 24 3-pointers at a 43% success charge, however the Pelicans confirmed fast enchancment in forcing 21 turnovers, limiting the guests to 36 factors within the paint and battling Golden State virtually evenly on the boards.
One night time after harassing Curry, who had scored 46 and 49 yards in his earlier two video games, into 2-for-11 taking pictures general and 1-for-6 on 3-pointers, the Pelicans’ job will get no simpler on the second night time of a back-to-back when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the many visiting Thunder.
The league’s reigning Most Precious Participant went for 30 factors when the golf equipment met on Nov. 2 in Oklahoma Metropolis. The Thunder received 137-106.
The defending champions have allowed extra factors than 106 factors simply twice since that assembly. Their 109-96 win at Charlotte on Saturday gave them a five-game run — all wins — during which they’ve allowed a median of 98.2 factors.
Regardless of main the Hornets 55-52 at halftime, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault needed to remind his guys the place their bread is buttered — on the defensive finish.
“Within the third (quarter), we received the protection in a very great place. Received again, settled into the half court docket, pressured them to play half-court basketball, and the stops created some operating alternatives,” he defined at his postgame media convention. “So I assumed we had an ideal response out of halftime. We course-corrected properly.”
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point efficiency within the earlier matchup with the Pelicans was one among 12 in 14 video games this season. It was additionally his first head-to-head with Pelicans guard Jeremiah Fears, who starred on the College of Oklahoma as a freshman final season earlier than turning professional.
Fears entertained his previous followers with 16 factors in his Oklahoma homecoming, a part of a run of 10 straight video games scoring in double figures as a 19-year-old rookie. He was the No. 7 decide within the June draft.
Fears had 17 factors in Sunday’s loss to Golden State.
–Area Degree Media
