NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - James Borrego wants to be an NBA head coach again, and he has an opportunity to make his case on the fly.
New Orleans Pelicans acting head coach James Borrego calls out from the bench in the first...
New Orleans Pelicans acting head coach James Borrego calls out from the bench in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks in New Orleans, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)(Gerald Herbert | AP)
Heading into Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Pelicans have only had two full practices under Borrego since Willie Green’s dismissal earlier this month.
After a tumultuous start to the season, the Pelicans recently got their win under Borrego, 143-130 over Chicago (9-8), this week. While a 3-15 record has the squad last in the Western Conference, a win Wednesday night (Nov. 26) over the Grizzlies (6-12) would put them just two games out from the last Play-In spot (No. 10).
While a climb out of the cellar is a daunting task, it’s not completely out of reach because teams like the Grizzlies, Kings, Clippers, and Mavs have had similarly frustrating starts to their seasons.
8 Pelicans players scored in double figures as their best offensive output of the season resulted in a 143-130 win over Chicago at home, James Borrego's first as interim head coach. pic.twitter.com/g3ty4l4S3g
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) November 26, 2025
Ironically, the Pelicans’ first-ever Play-In Tournament win to earn a playoff spot was under Green five years ago. They also started the season at 3-15 that year. Now, a re-tooled version of the same team has to adopt a polar-opposite philosophy on the fly to pull off a similar feat.
In 2023, Borrego was added to the staff to be the offensive yin to Green’s yang. While players may be familiar with Borrego’s offensive sets, it’s going to take a shift in mentality for a midseason buy-in to take hold.
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With a 148-183 overall record as a head coach, which includes four years leading the Charlotte Hornets, Borrego was to establish a brand of basketball known for an uptempo pace, offensive efficiency, and a barrage of 3-point attempts.
While the Pelicans have not shot more three-pointers in Borrego’s small sample size, they have upped their pace. Under Green, the Pelicans were a bottom-five team in average pace per game. Now, they’re offense is at No. 16 after the Bulls win.
“This group has been through a lot through the past 12+ months,” Borrego said in the postgame after the Bulls win. “You need some validation as a human being. That’s what tonight was about, a little validation of their work, their commitment, their energy, their care for one another.”
A consistent criticism of Green’s teams was a trend, no matter the lineup, to lose third quarters, even after positive starts. Technically, the team lost another third quarter this week in the Bulls’ by one point, but closing the gap made a Pelicans win not be out of reach.
Borrego was aggressive with timeouts against the Bulls and showed a willingness to make dramatic lineup changes in the game. While the team is likely to continue to ride the progress of rookies Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, Borrego made a switch to count on vets and found matchups that caused issues for Chicago.
When the Bulls went small, Borrego sat Queen for 7-footer Yves Missi, who earned 14 points and 14 rebounds. Jose Alvarado was subbed for Fears, who had more of a knack for facilitating the ball.
“I thought Jose and Yves had some juice in the first half, and I was gonna roll with it into the second half,” Borrego said. “Those guys responded... I thought we had a good 3rd quarter.”
Borrego also has the task of managing a franchise player whose health status frequently has him in and out of the lineup. While on a minutes restriction, Zion Williamson looked more like his vintage self with 29 points.
“He was out for (8 games),” Borrego said. “He’s trying to find his rhythm with this team again... I love his aggression. He played with great spirit and fight.”
When the Pelicans face Memphis in the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday, they’ll face a team that is also trying to find their identity. Star guard Ja Morant is out with a calf injury, and Ty Jerome is expected to be out until January. Center Zach Edey is a game-time decision, and Brandon Clarke is out until later next month.
The Pelicans tip off with the Grizzlies on Wednesday night live on the Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network. Coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.
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