LOS Angeles | NBA News | Shahzada TV Sports Desk | New Orleans Pelicans who started their season with 1-12 have booked number 8 seed in the western conference this season by claiming victory over LA Clippers with four points lead in a Play-in Tournament.
Pelicans with the performance of Brandon Ingram who score 30 points made it possible. They were in 13 points deficit when they entered the fourth quarter. But, the depleted Los Angeles Clippers didn’t hold their nerves and they lose this important play-in with 105-101 on Friday night (US time) which lead Pelicans to earn the number 8 spot in the West playoffs.
“That win was big-time,”
Pelicans coach Willie Green
Interestingly, the game has shown highs and lows situation. Nothing could have been predicted earlier. New Orleans Pelicans had a lead of 16 points in the first quarter. They didn’t maintain to sustain the lead. They were way short until the last 1 and a half minutes of the fourth and last quarter of the game.
Pelicans coach Willie Green said, “It was an emotional game, A ton of highs and lows But for us, our mentality is we’re going to continue to fight. We’re not going to fade out.”
It is after a long period of time that the New Orleans Pelicans have made it to the finals of NBA. Last time, the team made it to the finals in 2017-18 season of the NBA. This season, Pelicans have played without Zion Williamson, the big guy, who is off due to a foot injury. No one believed they will make thorough this as they started their season with 1-12 and then 2-16. Their rookie Trey Murphy almost lost believing in the victory of the Pelicans as he once said:
“Being my first year, I don’t know what winning is like. Look at us now.”
In the victory, after Brandon Ingram’s hand, there were also some important contributions from CJ McCollum who added precious 19 points and Larry Nance Jr also contributed 14 points and 16 rebounds which ultimately turned the sides in the favor of New Orleans Pelicans.
Larry Nance Jr, who was traded, along with McCollum, from Portland in February and recently returned from knee surgery said:
“This team is resilient, They started 1-12. That’s so hard to pick yourself up from. I’ve been in seasons like that, it’s hard to keep going and keep striving for it.”
The LA Clipper along with the Lakers were among the two unluckiest sides this season. Both teams have had a brilliant look at the paperwork. But both got huge blows. In the Clippers’ case, they lost Paul George earlier in the day when he was found entering with league’s health safety and protocols. Kawhi Leonard, one of the star players already been out since the start of the season while he rehabbed an ACL injury. Both of their star players can only watch their team going out of the league by losing to Pelicans by only 4 points and that only when there were only 1 and a half minutes left in the game.
From Clippers’ roaster, Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson managed to score 27 points each as the highest scorer and the rest there were not many significant performances.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who is missing the postseason for the first time as a head coach said:
“I am disappointed in us not being able to make the playoffs, no matter who was playing”
No one could believe the Clippers are out of season, missing playoffs and at the same time, New Orleans Pelicans successfully made it to the playoffs after 1-12. But, this is all about sports, fighting for the last moment. and Pelicans proved that!
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