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Nets head to New Orleans to play disappointing Pelicans



A lot of people thought that the Pelicans with Williamson and young Lakers talent obtained in the Anthony Davis trade would give New Orleans at shot at the playoffs. No way. The Pelcians are 6-21 and currently on a 12-game losing streak. While Brandon Ingram has met his billing, Lonzo Ball has not, once again under performing ... and losing his starting role.

Ingram, in fact, had his best game vs. the Nets back on November 4. He scored 40 points and kept the Pelicans in a game the Nets won, 135-125. Ingram shot 17-of-24 from the field in the best game of his young career. For the Nets, Irving had 39 and some clutch scoring near the end.

A number of the Pelicans losses have been heart-breaking, losing to the Lakers by four, to the Thunder by five and three and to the Pistons by two. But they’ve also been blown out several times. Defense is the big problem. During their losing streak, they’re giving up 121.4 points a game.

Player to Watch

This is easy. Brandon Ingram is averaging 25 points, seven rebounds and nearly four assists while shooting 50/41/84, all career highs. The 6’7” forward, still only 22, is not just playing well. He’s playing big minutes and has missed only four games out of 27. Last season, while with the Lakers, Ingram missed 30 games last year, most of them to a circulation problem which he seems to have overcome.

NBA Preview: Pelicans might be listed as favorites against undermanned Nets in an ordinary season, but 12-game losing streak looms large

Can New Orleans finally break into the win column??



Things can’t get much worse for a Pelicans team fresh off its franchise-worst 12th loss in a row. we learned that JJ Redick, one of the Pelicans most consistent performers to date, is out against the Brooklyn Nets with left groin soreness.

The fans are baffled, the players have to be frustrated and the coaching staff can’t find a winning combination.

At 15 games below .500, the season has already slipped away at just over one quarter of a way through. And yet, no one outside of the first six seeds in the West are running away with the final two seeds. At 6-21, the Pelicans are still hilariously sitting five wins outside of the seventh seed.

The Nets have been a perfectly mediocre team in the NBA thus far this season. 10th in pace, 17th in offensive rating and 14th in defensive rating, they also carry the 17th SRS. They have faced the sixth-easiest schedule, though they did defeat the 20-8 Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.

Brooklyn has faced the same or even worse injury luck than the Pelicans and yet they haven’t needed to complain nearly as much. They continue to play quality basketball. Despite the game taking place in New Orleans, it will take a concerted effort from the Pelicans for any chance at victory.

The Nets do their damage in the paint (fifth) and on the boards (second). They attempt more three-point shots than all but five teams in the NBA.

Defensively, they don’t allow ball movement (second) and they hold team’s to the ninth-best eFG in the NBA.

They will turn the ball over at an alarming rate (22nd) and are one of the worst at collecting their own from opponents (25th).

The Nets have lost two of three against the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors, but have won four of their past six games. They can be beaten.