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Willie Green recaps loss to Rockets | Pelicans vs Rockets Postgame 12/23/23



Willie Green recaps loss to Rockets | Pelicans vs Rockets Postgame 12/23/23

Coach G this game uh eerily similar to the one in Houston and you know down the stretch in Houston it was the execution and tonight it really came down to the same thing yeah um give give Houston Credit coming in our building on a back

To back and uh beating us on our home floor they’re they’re they’re tougher team than we are right now transition defense also was a big key uh for Houston tonight uh the turnovers that the Pelicans forced but did not have a fast break attempt getting back what does that say about

What they’re doing in transition well it’s something that they’re really good at uh we saw that coming in that you know you got to force the issue with transition we didn’t do a great job of executing when we had transition opportunities but it it it came down to our our ability to execute

At the end of the game much like it was when we were in Houston you said they are a tougher team than you are right now I guess what do you have to do to address that we got to stop turning the ball over and we got to make free

Throws and just in these close games that’s something that’s been a theme throughout the season what are you seeing just the the execution specifically on the offensive end that’s kind of hurting you guys right now the biggest thing is the turnovers the last three minutes of the game I believe we

Had three turnovers um Zion dribbles one off his foot um pass to JRE CJ pass to Zion and you know the same thing I told our guys I’m not saying anything different in here we watched it today we looked at our clutch time um execution

And we’re 30th in in taking care of the basketball and that has to be better and tonight was much of the same until we learn that uh it’s going to be tough for us to win these games yeah I mean that that rocket te I think their second and

Defensive rating just yeah in that overall in that game just won’t made it difficult for yall to to catch a rhythm offensively like you said they’re good defensive team so they’re going to have their hands on you they they can uh switch they got you know like-sized guys

On the floor that can red screens switch screens and so it comes down to executing with Force um with patience making sure you set screens dive and get and getting a quality look every time down the floor that’s how you’re able to go down the stretch and beat a team like

That Willie you’re three you know most perm oriented best players on the court bi CJ and uh Trey couldn’t get anything going I think they combined for 33 shot attempts is Houston the most difficult opponent to where they really just take away those type of guys from for

You I don’t know if they’re the most difficult opponent uh but they present challenges for sure with their defense and you know you got Brooks and Smith and all those guys give them credit like I’m I’m not I don’t want to continue to go down a list but give them give them

Credit they did what they needed to do to win they were more physical team in my opinion they were more mentally tough down the stretch and uh our guys this is a growth moment for us we have to learn from this we will learn from this we’ll

Continue to get better and um at the same time we have to be honest about where we are we got to take care of the ball and we have to make free throws down the stretch of games you said it CL time you are last and taking care of the

Ball but also last in threo percentages you over three over the last 6 minutes two of those went from JRE you talk about lack of execution but is it somewhat maybe what they’re trying to execute there in the end they just they’re still trying to get comfortable perhaps

Uh maybe just a little bit but the biggest thing for us is if you get an open shot if you if we we generate open threes we want to take those for sure um but we we’re not getting the quality looks that we need and a lot of it is

Because of the turnovers got your hand and touch on graph you know it’s tough there in the end to I guess uh get the team going you pulled CJ bi and Zion off I think earlier in the second third quarter was there something you mentioned to them uh in that moment when

Y was still in the game there was still a lot of game that he played so the urgency wasn’t there but he pulled all three of them the side right there in the middle of the court is there something you were good on that I probably was I don’t remember what I was

Saying at that moment though coach you talked about the physicality and how you guys were out physical Alfred Shinu seems to have embodied that tonight what was he doing to be so much so effective against your defense uh he just kicked our butts to

Be honest with you um he got he 17 free throws so he his gamesmanship is is off the charts um you throw it to him in the post and he makes solid plays he just makes a simple play hit he’s a great passer um he has that spin move where if

If if you’re not careful he he can spin and he he took over in the fourth quarter they played through him uh we didn’t have a great answer for him but like I said these are moments where we have to feel it we have to be hon honest with each other and we’ll

Improve and get better Coach uh herb didn’t see any time in the fourth quarter was there something that you saw in the matchup that you didn’t think he’d be effective in or just was going to something different there what btom on the court we we like the group that

We had on the floor tried to go a bit bigger with um against sh shinon uh with JRE especially with Jonas being in foul trouble um trying to have spacing on the floor for zbi with Trey and CJ so that was the thought behind it thanks thank you

New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green speaks to the media following the loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday, December 23, 2023.

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New Orleans Pelicans Roster
———————————————–
Jose Alvarado #15 Guard
Dyson Daniels #11 Guard
Jordan Hawkins #24 Guard
Brandon Ingram #14 Forward
Herbert Jones #5 Forward
Kira Lewis Jr. #13 Guard
E.J. Liddell #32 Forward
Naji Marshall #8 Forward
CJ McCollum #3 Guard
Trey Murphy III #25 Guard
Larry Nance Jr. #22 Forward
Matt Ryan #37 Forward
Dereon Seabron #0 Guard
Jonas Valanciunas #17 Center
Zion Williamson #1 Forward
Cody Zeller #44 Forward-Center

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25 Comments

  1. Why does Brandon Ingram keep taking these last second circus shots turning the ball over this happens almost every game. Maybe we give the ball to Zion under the basket or JV or even swing the ball around but letting Brandon Ingram take this last minute fade away is not helping us win these games.

  2. Zion is good and all but he doesn’t take this game seriously…. Did you see when he turned the ball over? He was laughing and giggling that right there tells me he’s not a winner

  3. Zion and BI don’t have that look like winners , CJ needs to get on his teammates more , we can clearly see the team does not wanna win

  4. Hey Willie !!!!! if you read this, please stop letting Brandon Ingram take the last second shot. Give it to somebody else. He blows it every time. Brandon Ingram is really good and all but not good at executing.

  5. Willie your the biggest problem your adjusments are sub par. Your playing undrafted players over lottery picks and high picks who cant even get on the court. You run no plays for TM3, no real pick and roll offense between Zion and BI or Zion and Trey, BI and Trey or jv and all. Why is JRE and Dyson shooting clutch 3 pointers?! JRE played 2 games in the last 20 games. He kicked our butt?! You allow teams to play thru their best players and took out your best defender for a guy that has no where near the defensive caliber as herb jones it makes no sense you need more time as an assistant coach for multiple teams besides the warriors to realize how to utilize players, timeouts and defensive and offensive schemes.

  6. Gotta stop.going to Zion in crunch time. . hes just not effective…missed layups and turnovers….i cant be the only one who notices this. Zion is great in the first three quarters and a half…but in a tight game , they just dont give him anything…..and they had no answer for Sengun…that guy is a beast…

  7. Give zion more minute to play brandon ingram is good but in clush this shot are really bad and zion need to know how to be a leader when is clush time to stop passing the ball

  8. Man it’s ashame how we turn on our coaches in New Orleans. I get DA be fired but come on Willie needs to be fired already ??😂😂. We was just praising him 2yrs ago. Last year we was number in the west before the injuries. I’m staying behind Willie. Once we find our rhythm and staying healthy we should be fine.

  9. Willie green played BI for a full quarter & sat Zion down . Tried to shove plays for bi but the rest of team wasn’t touching ball . This offense isn’t smart

  10. This game wasn’t on Willie and I am his biggest critic. He did everything we asked for but the guys didn’t step up in the clutch just like always. This team needs a number 1 and unfortunately you got to be in California or Miami to get one or get lucky in the draft. Neither looks promising

  11. I'm not sure I believe in our ability to 'learn from this.'

    Also, 18 minutes for Herb is wild. I don't think Herb will be bothered by it in the end, but it's symptomatic of Willie's treatment of other players on the squad too. Looks like a coach who doesn't know what the answer is and is flailing to find one.

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