Pelicans Stink And So Does Their 'Approach To This Game'

It's easy to confuse the New Orleans Pelicans with the Washington Generals. Both excel at making their opponents look good and each team avoids wins like Zion Williamson avoids salads. Through the first month of the season, New Orleans has just one win and 11 losses. They’ve dropped eight straight.

All the losing has first-year head coach Willie Green playing the blame game.

"It's not the losing streak. It's not one quarter. It's our approach to this game," Green told ESPN’s Andrew Lopez after their most recent loss.

The Pels aren’t just losing, they’re being blown out – on the regular. They haven’t lost a game by fewer than six points since before Halloween. That streak nearly ended Wednesday versus Oklahoma City, who handled New Orleans by eight.

“There were moments in the game where we just didn’t have guys who didn’t compete hard enough for me. Hard enough for our team," said Green. “That’s a non-negotiable for me.”

New Orleans’ failure to compete is unacceptable as far as Green is concerned.

“As the leader of this team, I can’t have that. I can’t have guys on the floor if they aren’t going to give 110%,” Green said via ESPN.

If the Pelicans have any hope of resembling the Globetrotters rather than the Generals, they’ll not only have to improve their approach, but they'll also have to quit their whining.

“We aren't going to get those calls,” Green said when referencing a questionable no-foul call late in the loss to OKC. “We haven't earned them. So what are we complaining about? Until we earn it, we're not gonna get that. That's the deal. I talked to our guys about it. We have to keep our composure.”

New Orleans’ next chance to alter their approach and deodorize their stinky season comes tonight when they host Brooklyn.

 

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