The disastrous start to the New Orleans Pelicans’ season got even worse Friday night.
Two days after an embarrassing home loss to the Boston Celtics, the winless Pelicans went on the road and got steamrolled by the Denver Nuggets 122-88 at Ball Arena.
The Pelicans (0-4) have now lost their last 11 games dating back to last season.
This time, it was the third quarter that did them in.
The Pelicans got outscored 29-2 to start the third quarter. By the time the quarter was over, the Pels were outscored 39-11. The awful third quarter came on the heels of the Pels closing the second quarter on a 12-0 run to make the game respectable at halftime (53-47).
“They are an elite team," said Pelicans coach Willie Green. "Once they punch you, you’ve got to punch back. Tonight we didn’t. No response in the second half and that’s the difference in the game.”
It was all downhill from there. The Pels trailed by 41 at point.
The Pels have lost their last two games by a combined 66 points: 32 points to the Celtics on Monday and 34 points Friday night to the Nuggets (3-1).
Rookie guard Jeremiah Fears was one of the few Pelicans who showed up to play. Fears made 10 of 15 shots and finished with 21 points and six assists.
"He was the bright spot tonight," Green said. "But he’s been playing like that with toughness and getting downhill and connecting with his teammates."
Zion Williamson, who missed Monday’s game with a foot injury, returned and finished with 11 points. Yves Missi scored 10 points off the bench.
Green went with his fourth different lineup. His starters Friday were: Williamson, Fears, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy and DeAndre Jordan.
Murphy and Jones combined to shoot just 3 of 15 from the floor.
Denver’s Nikola Jokic, a 3-time league MVP, became just the third player in NBA history to record a triple double in the first four games of the season. He finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson for most consecutive triple doubles to start a season.
The Pels got outrebounded 56-36 and got outscored in the paint 62-44. The Pelicans knocked down just 7 of their 34 3-point attempts.
The Pelicans have two more games on this road trip. They play the Los Angeles Clippers Friday and the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday.
"Pretty much we are a team right now that has to dig down and find our identity," Green said. "We have to believe in each other. That’s first. The first order of business is you’ve got to compete harder, play harder, play more together and the belief has to be there.”