Pelicans news: How Willie Green failed Jordan Hawkins in collapse vs. Bulls

Sure, the Bulls had two days rest before barging into the Big Easy. Yes, the Pelicans were playing their third game in four days and missing a few key contributors. Still, there were no legitimate excuses for New Orleans to drop this game. Chicago was missing Zach Lavine, Lonzo Ball, and Patrick Williams after all and Green’s group appeared far more talented on paper.

The Pelicans had the two best players and a double-digit lead in the second half. That’s usually a victorious recipe in the NBA. Billy Donovan just outcoached Green over the final 15 minutes of action, in both substitution patterns and playcalling. A big part of that was in how Hawkins was utilized late in the game.

Green decided to give Zion Williamson a quick breather midway through the fourth quarter even though Chicago was making a run. Hawkins replaced the two-time NBA All-Star in the lineup with 6:35 remaining on the clock. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl also checked in for Trey Murphy III during that break. Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, and Herb Jones were already on the floor. The scoreboard read 91-88 in favor of the Bulls. The Pelicans had already squandered a double-digit lead, their 17th blown lead of more than 10 points this season. The pressure was mounting, and Green put all of it on Hawkins at the wrong time.

New Orleans needed a comeback to stay above the NBA Play-In Tournament line and the Pelicans still had some hope during that break in action. Unfortunately, a Hawkins turnover on the first possession effectively ended the game. Coby White stripped Hawkins at midcourt but it was a no-win situation that should have been avoided.

Jones and Ingram are better offensive initiators but Green dialed up a different play following a Dalen Terry loose ball foul. Ingram was using a Valanciunas screen at the elbow when Hawkins crossed half-court. Robinson-Earl and Jones were already camped out in the corners. No one was available to screen White and relieve the defensive pressure. White wasted no time snatching away a way-too-cute, way-too-casual between-the-legs dribble move from Hawkins. White scored before the other four Pelicans crossed half-court.

Willie Green’s team let the Bulls go buck-wild in 4th

The team’s body language became an unenthusiastic slouch after Hawkins got stripped. The Smoothie King Center faithful also started hitting the exits. Green addressed the elephant in the room immediately during the postgame press conference.

“It came down to us. We turned the ball over,” admitted Green. “Not giving ourselves an opportunity to come down and run a good offense. They’re getting out in transition, getting easy baskets. We fought back…gave ourselves an opportunity at the end of the game. Those clutch situations, turnovers, missed free throws, offensive rebounds. Tonight we had all of those happen.”

Hawkins finished with a -21 plus/minus but there is plenty of blame to go around. The Pelicans extended the lead to 12 (82-70) following a bank shot floater by Hawkins with under 3 minutes to play in the third quarter. Chicago outscored New Orleans 46 to 24 the rest of the game. That’s indicative of more issues than just Hawkins not being a good lead ball-handler on one play.

“We can’t (injuries and suspensions) as an excuse. We were going to have some guys out here and there,” Green explained. “We can come down and execute, we can come down and make simple plays. When we did it, we got great looks, quality looks, and that’s what you want. You know every play’s not going to be a home run play for us, but making quality plays, simple passes, and then letting it come out and watch – when we do it, we’re much better. But, 19 turnovers. That’s extremely difficult to overcome against a hard-nosed team like Chicago.”