Questionable Calls, Slow Start Doom Pelicans at Mavericks

Dallas, TX - The New Orleans Pelicans came out playing stiff like they had suffered through canceled flights, red eyes out of Denver's altitude, and bus issues hours before taking on the Dallas Mavericks. Well, that actually was the case. Still, Brandon Ingram led a comeback from a 30-point deficit and the Pelicans had a chance to steal a road win but ultimately fell just short in a 111-106 loss.

Ingram finally looked to be in All-Star form, scoring 26 points on 10/20 shooting from the field and hitting 5/6 of his free throws. CJ McCollum (9/14) looked more comfortable playing off of Ingram to finish with 19 points, 8 assists, and 4 rebounds.

Larry Nance Jr. (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Naji Marshall (11 points, 3 assists) kept pushing the pace leading the reserve unit and the Pelicans slowly found a way to make clutch time matter. Sadly, a similar refrain popped up. The refs made a questionable call that hurt New Orleans.

Officials say they blew both calls against the Pelicans late: Ingram was in bounds and there should’ve been 4.9 on the clock, not 3.4. pic.twitter.com/NsCQbNKJzb
— Andrew Lopez (@_Andrew_Lopez) February 3, 2023

Green was again left to look at the silver linings and moral victories after playing the Mavericks. Getting Ingram back to full fitness will go a long way to fixing the team's issues, and getting them back into the playoff picture.

“He looked like the Brandon we are all accustomed to seeing night in and night out," Green said. "Good to see him get his rhythm going. He was attacking. Rebounding the ball. Making good decisions with the basketball. That’s what we need from him. He knows that.”

The Mavericks were outscored 63-41 in the final 24 minutes. Luka Doncic exited the game in the second half due to injury with 31 points and 8 rebounds on 12/19 shooting. Despite the early exit, Doncic was one of only two Dallas players to make more than five shots.

With about 8 minutes left in the third quarter, Doncic drove toward the basket and tried to finish a layup over Jonas Valanciunas. Ingram blocked the shot from behind and Doncic’s momentum left him in an awkward position.

Doncic had 27 points by halftime. Spencer Dinwiddie (4/19, 21 points, 4 assists) made up for poor shooting from the field with 11/12 accuracy on free throws. Dorian Finney-Smith (5/8, 13 points) and Josh Green (7/10, 15 points) helped stem the tide and seal the home win. Dinwiddie closed out the victory with two made free throws and only 2.4 seconds remaining on the clock.

Green attributes the comeback to more than just Doncic's absence.

“We just caught our second wind. I think the guys got knocked on their heels to start the game. It’s unacceptable those things are happening. I take full ownership as well. I have to be better. I have to get us off to great starts in terms of having our team prepared. We will get there.”

Trey Murphy III was 0/3 from beyond the arc. Marshall hit both of his three-point attempts but the team only made five shots total from beyond the arc. It was a tough night to end the unusual three-game road trip.

The locker room started letting the world know about the travel issues. McCollum tweeted that the early flight and other logistical miscommunications were a “Sick situation.”

“Aaaaaannnnddddd the buses aren’t here to pick us up,” forward Larry Nance Jr. replied. Jose Alvarado was reminded of “AAU vibes."

The Pelicans are back in action on Willie Green's squad are now sporting a 10-game losing streak and will come home to host the Los Angeles Lakers. Lebron James could make history, ticket scalpers are charging outrageous prices, and the Smoothie King Center will be far from a home crowd.

The trade deadline is a week away and so is any possible Zion Williamson return. Until then? The big picture matters more than focusing on the outcome of one game. Despite the string of defeats Green says, “We have plenty of games left to turn it around. We dug ourselves a hole. We have to climb out of it.”

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