In this article
NEW ORLEANS — Zion Williamson scored 29 points Wednesday night, then called the New Orleans Pelicans’ 145-111 loss to the Brooklyn Nets at Smoothie King Center unacceptable and asked every player and coach to look at themselves first.
The loss was New Orleans’ fourth straight and dropped the Pelicans to 4-8 against a Brooklyn team that entered the night 2-8.
“Unacceptable,” Williamson said. “I don’t have a lot of words. Just unacceptable.”
Zion Williamson Scores 29 As Brooklyn Nets Pull Away
The Nets scored 83 points in the first half, their most in any half this season, according to the Pelicans’ postgame wrap, and led by as many as 41. New Orleans led only once, early in the first quarter, and trailed 39-25 after one.
Williamson did most of his scoring before halftime, with 15 points in the second quarter and 20 in the first half. He finished 8-of-14 from the field, 1-of-1 from three-point range, and 12-of-14 at the free-throw line, with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in 29:57.
Williamson said Brooklyn loaded up the paint after halftime, so he tried to attack the gaps and find shooters. The Pelicans shot 5-of-21 in the third quarter and missed all 8 of their three-point attempts.
“Defensively, we held them to 24, but we only had 15,” Williamson said. “And then fourth quarter for them to have 38, it’s not going to do us no good. Just the reality of it.”
Williamson Calls For Accountability After Fourth Straight Loss
Brooklyn shot 57.0% from the field, made 20 of 41 three-point attempts, and outscored New Orleans 50-38 in the paint. Eight Nets players scored in double figures, and 16 Pelicans turnovers led to 23 Brooklyn points.
“As men, we have to, as a unit, players, coaches, everybody,” Williamson said in his postgame interview. “You have to go look yourself in the mirror when you by yourself and say, ‘Did I do everything that I needed to do for my team? Was I in the gaps on defense? Was I a low man when I was supposed to? Did I get out there and contest shots to make it tough on them? Did I do everything I needed to do? Did I give it in real effort?’ That’s what everybody has to do.”
New Orleans played without four injured players, including starting wing Trey Murphy III, who was listed with bilateral patellar tendinopathy. Williamson said the Pelicans will watch film but that the fix starts internally.
“We’re together in the locker room,” Williamson said. “It’s just like I said, nobody likes to lose like this. But if we don’t like to lose like this, we have to start with ourselves first.”
Williamson said that responsibility starts with the team’s leaders. When a message comes with self-accountability first, he said, teammates are more receptive than when a player starts by pointing out what someone else could have done.
It was the third consecutive game in which New Orleans allowed at least 138 points, after a 139-123 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday and a 138-87 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, the largest regular-season defeat in franchise history. Williamson sat out the Golden State game.
“This is just unacceptable, especially on home court,” Williamson said. “Fans don’t deserve this. City don’t deserve this.”
New Orleans hosts the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday in an NBA Cup West Group B game, with both teams 0-1 in group play.
Join the conversation