Pelicans Struggle in Borrego's Debut as Warriors Dominate
The New Orleans Pelicans entered Sunday’s game with a fresh face at the helm, but unfortunately, little else seemed to change. After firing head coach Willie Green on Saturday, the team welcomed James Borrego as interim head coach. However, in his first outing, the Pelicans were unable to overcome the Golden State Warriors, falling 124-106 at the Smoothie King Center. This defeat extended New Orleans’ losing streak to five games, and marked their sixth loss by at least 14 points this season.
Borrego was candid after the game, acknowledging the road ahead. “We’ve got a lot to do,” he said. “The beauty of this game is you come back to work the next day. … It doesn’t get any easier. We’ve got another juggernaut coming in.” Indeed, the Pelicans face the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder next, who currently hold the NBA’s best record at 13-1.
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The Warriors, now 9-6 on the season, demonstrated exactly why they are considered one of the toughest challenges in the league. While superstar guard Steph Curry was limited to just nine points—well below his average—his teammates stepped up in a big way. Moses Moody exploded for a career-high 32 points, Brandin Podziemski added 19, and Jimmy Butler contributed 18 points along with 10 rebounds. Former Pelican Buddy Hield also chipped in 11 points. Golden State’s team effort was highlighted by 24 three-pointers, the most any opponent has made against New Orleans this season. Draymond Green nearly recorded a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Pelicans’ own mistakes compounded their struggles. They committed 20 turnovers, which led to 27 easy points for the Warriors. Borrego pointed out the need for more poise, noting, “There were costly, careless turnovers in transition. We’ve got to have more poise. There’s a balance between playing fast and frenetic and playing with poise.”
New Orleans had some bright spots offensively. Trey Murphy led the team with 20 points, Jose Alvarado added 18, Jeremiah Fears had 17, and Saddiq Bey scored 11. Rookie center Derik Queen made his first career start, contributing nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists in just over 24 minutes. Borrego praised Queen’s performance, emphasizing the need for his scoring and playmaking.
The game was effectively decided in the first quarter, as Golden State jumped out to a 44-28 lead, their most first-quarter points against the Pelicans this season. Even when New Orleans closed the gap to 11 points later in the game, the Warriors maintained control, taking an 85-71 lead into the fourth quarter and coasting to victory.
Borrego and the Pelicans’ management recognize that rebuilding the team’s identity will take time. Interim coach Borrego stressed the importance of effort, joy, and aggression, while noting, “We’re not going to figure it all out at once.” Sunday’s loss may have been disappointing, but it was just the first step in a long journey for New Orleans as they attempt to regroup and find their rhythm under new leadership.
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