Pelicans Self-Inflicted Errors Have Doomed Them In The First Two Games Against The Thunder

New Orleans must rid themselves of the careless mistake for them to have a chance of making this a series against the Thunder

The New Orleans Pelicans find themselves down 0-2 in their first-round series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. New Orleans had a real opportunity to head home tied at 1-1 after a two-point loss in Game 1, while Game 2 was a runaway victory for the Thunder. Both games had a commonality that doomed the Pelicans, unforced errors. Over the last five quarters of this series, New Orleans has committed 25 turnovers. During the regular season, Oklahoma City was the No. 1 team in the league in points of turnovers (20.5). They are capitalizing greatly on the Pelicans' mistakes. 

Through the first two games, OKC is averaging 18 points a game off the Pelicans' mistakes. Unfortunately for New Orleans, they are happening in crucial stretches of the game. The Pelicans committed seven critical turnovers in the fourth quarter of Game 1. OKC scored eight of their 20 points in the period off Pels' miscues. Pels guard Herb Jones, who committed three turnovers in that fourth quarter, spoke about the importance of caring for the basketball against a team like the Thunder.

"We had a lot of turnovers early, which really hurt us," Jones told reporters after Game 2. "You've got to give them credit. They've been during that all year. We just have to do a better job of taking care of the ball." As the scene shifts to New Orleans for Games 3 and 4, recent history suggests more of the same may be in store for the Pelicans.

Apr 21, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New Orleans Pelicans forward Naji Marshall (8) reaches

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Oklahoma City has beaten the Pelicans four straight times in New Orleans, counting last year's Play-In Tournament game. The Pelicans are averaging 15.5 turnovers in those contests, which the Thunder are converting into over 20 points a game. Without Zion Williamson, the Pelicans' margin for error is already slim, any hope of making this a series on Saturday starts with New Orleans avoiding the self-inflicted errors.

Eight of the Pelicans' 18 turnovers in Game 2 were offensive foul calls, something Pels' Coach Willie Green said he's never really seen in a game before. "A lot of the turnovers (in Game 2) were the illegal screens that they called," Coach Green said in his postgame comments. "I've never seen that many illegal screens." New Orleans will continue to see a swarming defense from the Thunder, who ranked No. 1 in steals and blocked shots in the regular season. 

The season is on the brink with the result of Game 3 on Saturday. No team has come back from an 0-3 deficit to win a series in NBA history. To avoid that fate, the Pelicans must treat the basketball with protection and purpose to give them a shot at getting back into the series.