Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans slumped to yet another loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. This loss might become a huge bump in the road towards their playoff hopes this season. The team fought valiantly up until the final buzzer. However, the Nets offense, led by Kyrie Irving, became too hot to handle.
The match was a close one as both teams looked to find some form ahead a grueling postseason. The Pelicans did not let the Nets off the hook in the game. A tremendous defensive effort kept the pressure on the visitors as they looked to increase the gap.
In the post-game press conference, Zion Williamson expressed his displeasure after losing the game. However, he also lauded his teammate Naji Marshall for performing well and keeping pace with the championship contenders. He said, “That’s who Naji is as a person. For the people that don’t know him, Naji is a very positive, energetic guy. That was really big for us when he comes in the game and gives that bit of energy.”
He continued, “The thing is, he doesn’t even have to be scoring. It is his defensive plays or getting assists or just small hustle plays. When your teammates see stuff like that, they are not gonna leave you out there alone. They are gonna be there with you and fight with you. So that was big for us.”
For the Pelicans, Zion Williamson was the top scorer in this game as he finished with 33 points. Moreover, he also racked up seven assists and four rebounds as a virtue of his newly acquired point guard role. He was followed by Brandon Ingram in the scoring charts. The 23-year-old finished with 27 points and five assists to his name.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – APRIL 20: Blake Griffin #2 of the Brooklyn Nets shoots against Zion Williamson #1
The New Orleans Pelicans are 11th in the Western Conference standings. At the moment, they are not in contention for the playoff berths. Moreover, they have a three-game losing streak which will affect their morale. Coach Stan Van Gundy and his men are in dire straits and will look towards the star players to navigate them out of these troubled waters.
