The New Orleans Pelicans are currently enduring one of the most difficult stretches in the history of the franchise.
The team has lost four consecutive games, with the most recent three defeats occurring by double-digit margins, according to Yahoo Sports.
During these three blowouts, the Pelicans surrendered a total of 422 points and suffered a combined margin of defeat of 101 points.
This includes a 51-point loss to the Golden State Warriors, which set a new record for the largest margin of defeat in a regular season game for New Orleans, as noted by The Lead.
The defensive struggles have caused the team’s defensive rating to plummet to 26th in the league, a statistic tracked by the NBA official statistics page.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley acknowledged the team’s defensive failures following a loss to the Brooklyn Nets where the team allowed 83 points in the first half alone.
“That’s three games in a row of 130-plus,” Mosley stated.
Reports indicate that internal frustration is mounting as the team fails to maintain cohesion.
During the loss to the Warriors, second-year center Derik Queen was observed leaving the bench and walking around the court, a moment documented by Basketball Reference.
Additionally, guard Dejounte Murray allegedly exchanged explicit words with Mosley during the game against Brooklyn, according to information sourced from Basketball Reference.
With a challenging schedule ahead, the organization faces significant pressure to improve its defensive performance or risk falling toward a high lottery pick in the upcoming draft, the outlets reported.