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25 numbers to capture highlights, lowlights of first 25 games of New Orleans Pelicans' season

The New Orleans Pelicans are 25 games into a season that has had far more downs than ups.

One injury after another has decimated the first seven weeks of the season. As a result, the Pelicans will bring a bleak 5-20 record into the Smoothie King Center on Thursday night when they host the Sacramento Kings.

Here’s a look at 25 numbers that provide the highlights and lowlights of the first 25 games of the season.

**0:** Number of games the three players on the roster who have been selected for an All-Star Game (Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and Zion Williamson) have played together this season.

**1:** That’s how long it took for the first starter to get injured and miss significant time. Murray fractured his hand in the season-opener against the Chicago Bulls.

**1:** Games Pelicans have won this season when trailing at the end of the first quarter. They’ve been in 13 such games.

**6:** Double-doubles recorded by center Yves Missi, who is making a strong case for the All-Rookie team.

**6:** Games lost on the second night of a back-to-back. They haven’t won any on the second night.

**7:** 3-pointers knocked down by Jose Alvarado against the Cavaliers.

**8:** Number of games the Pelicans are behind the 10th place Suns in the Western Conference standings. The Pels have some ground to make up just to get into the play-in tournament.

**9:** The length of the Pelicans’ longest losing streak this season.

**10:** Points scored in the first quarter against the Knicks, a season low.

**10:** Blocked shots by the Pelicans in the season-opener.

**10:** Deflections by Herb Jones in his first game back from a shoulder injury, a victory over the Phoenix Suns.

**12:** Consecutive road losses. The Pelicans' only victory away from the Smoothie King Center came against Portland in the first road trip of the season.

**14:** Losses by double digits.

**14:** Number of players to start a game this season.

**17:** Different starting lineups head coach Willie Green has used.

**18:** Number of times Pelicans trailed going into the fourth quarter. They’ve won just one of those games.

**19:** Games Zion Williamson, dealing with a hamstring injury, has missed.

**21:** Assists Elfrid Payton dished out in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. The franchise record is 25, set by Rajon Rondo in 2017. Payton has since been waived.

**21:** Points scored by Branon Ingram in the third quarter of the victory against the Suns.

**25:** Games Jeremiah Roberts-Earl has played in. He’s the only Pelican to play in every game.

**27:** Where the Pelicans rank in defensive efficiency.

**33:** Number of 3-pointers Pelicans are attempting per game, seven shy of the goal of 40 Green wants the team to take.

**34:** Season- high for points in a game. It’s happened twice. Williamson had 34 against the Pacers. The other one would make one heckuva trivia question. Rookie guard Antonio Reeves scored 34 against the Cavaliers.

**105:** Points per game, ranking dead last in the league.

**115:** Total games missed by the 8 players considered the best on the roster when the season began (Williamson, Ingram, Murray, Jones, CJ McCollum, Trey Murphy, Alvarado and Jordan Hawkins). It's this last one that sums up better than anything why the Pelicans are 5-20.

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