The New Orleans Pelicans faced a tough night in Toronto, wrapping up their road trip with a 119-106 loss to the Raptors. Missing key players like Trey Murphy and Dejounte Murray, the Pelicans struggled to find their rhythm.
Zion Williamson was a standout, delivering 22 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, shooting an impressive 9-of-13 from the field. Despite his efforts, the Pelicans (25-50) fell to their fourth straight defeat.
Interim head coach James Borrego pointed out the team's struggles on defense and ball movement, noting, "We couldn’t get enough stops to get out in transition. The ball was sticking too much. Just 21 assists tonight."
Murphy and Murray’s absence was felt, as Borrego highlighted their offensive contributions. "Having those two guys out tonight, they generate a lot of offense for us," he said.
"I thought Z brought it tonight. He was aggressive from the start and had the right mindset."
The starting lineup featured Jeremiah Fears, Herb Jones, Williamson, Saddiq Bey, and Yves Missi. Fears, making his first start since January 21, added 10 points and four rebounds. Bey contributed 19 points.
The Pelicans fell behind 23-10 in the first quarter but rallied with a spark from the bench, including Jordan Poole and DeAndre Jordan, narrowing the gap to 23-20. Poole was dynamic, adding three assists and a 4-point play. However, the Raptors pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring New Orleans 30-19.
Derik Queen and Poole led the bench with 13 and 12 points, respectively, contributing to a 46-point effort from the reserves. The Raptors, seeking revenge for their previous loss to the Pelicans, succeeded with former Pelican Brandon Ingram scoring 13 points and grabbing six rebounds for Toronto.
Looking ahead, the Pelicans return home to face the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Borrego emphasized the need to rediscover their playing style, saying, "We’ve got to get back home and get back to a playing style we’ve been moving towards."