The New Orleans Pelicans’ hopes of a win against the Portland Trail Blazers took a hit on Wednesday night, as the team was severely shorthanded due to a list of injuries that sidelined several key players. Despite the odds stacked against them, the Pelicans put up a competitive effort, showing resilience and heart throughout the game. However, without over 90 points of scoring power missing from their lineup, there simply wasn’t enough to secure the victory, and the Blazers ultimately came out on top.
The absence of key players such as Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, Jordan Hawkins, and Herb Jones left the Pelicans with a depleted roster. The loss of such a high volume of scoring and playmaking—collectively representing a significant chunk of the team’s offense—was always going to be a tough hurdle to overcome. When you’re missing over 90 points, the margin for error shrinks considerably, and the Pelicans felt that impact throughout the game. However, credit must be given to the team’s remaining players, who refused to let the game slip away easily.
Given the circumstances, the Pelicans played about as well as could be expected. Despite the missing firepower, the team stayed competitive for the majority of the contest. New Orleans’ effort was especially evident in the first half, where they battled Portland step for step. Brandon Ingram carried the load offensively, scoring 27 points and dishing out 7 assists, while the Pelicans received key contributions from several others, including two-way player Brandon Boston Jr., who scored 20 points in his first career start. The game was neck and neck, and it wasn’t until the final five minutes that the Trail Blazers were able to pull away, using a late run to seal the win. The Pelicans just didn’t have enough depth to hang on down the stretch, and Portland took full advantage of the opportunity.
That’s just how it’s going to be until the team get’s healthy. Head Coach Willie Green said Zion would be listed as day to day with right leg injuries to him hamstring and thigh. If he can get back on the court Wednesday, even with an undefeated Cavaliers team heading to town, the Pelicans can start picking up wins once again.
