The New Orleans Pelicans began their season Wednesday night with a new head coach, a revamped roster, and the promise of a different approach to winning basketball.
Three hours later, they were right back where they started.
New Orleans' 123-120 loss to the Indiana Pacers was entertaining, competitive, and painfully familiar. The Pelicans led by 10 at halftime, carried a six-point advantage into the fourth quarter, and still had opportunities to win in the closing minutes.
Some will be encouraged by how close the Pelicans came to winning. But the final margin only hides a more troubling reality: little has changed.
Pelicans lost because of the same problems that have undermined this franchise for years
An offense dependent on individual talent rather than consistent execution. A defense that struggles to contain dribble penetration and protect the paint. A roster still lacking enough perimeter shooting to consistently stretch opposing defenses.
Those weren't opening-night surprises. They were know weaknesses entering training camp.
And until the Pelicans prove otherwise, they're still the defining characteristics of this team.
Defensive improvement requires results
Jamahl Mosley arrived in New Orleans with a reputation for demanding defensive accountability. The early returns offered some encouragement, particularly during a preseason in which the Pelicans ranked fifth in defensive rating.
But Wednesday's reality check was a reminder that preseason promise and regular-season performance are two very different things.
Indiana scored at least 30 points in three of four quarters, shot 52.2% from the floor and finished with 123 points. The Pacers accomplished that while shooting just 30% from beyond the arc.
Indiana didn't overwhelm New Orleans with a great night from outside. The Pacers repeatedly broke down the defense, created favorable opportunities around the basket, and exploited the Pelicans' inability to consistently stop the ball. New Orleans was outscored by 16 points in the paint.
There were encouraging stretches. The Pelicans held Indiana to 18 points in the second quarter, turning a seven-point deficit into a 10-point lead at the half.
But a defense can't claim meaningful progress based on one strong quarter when it gives up 37 points in the fourth.
Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam combined for 20 points in the final period, with Haliburton leading a decisive 15-3 run that erased an eight-point Pelicans advantage.
New Orleans had opportunities to make stops. They couldn't make enough of them.
Mosley can demand greater effort and accountability, but that has to translate into more consistent execution. Until the Pelicans can contain the ball, communicate through rotations, and protect the interior, the defensive problems that plagued previous teams will still be here.
Scoring points Isn't the Same as Running an Offense
The Pelicans scored 120 points despite shooting just 42.7% from the field. That might sound good until you look closely at how they got there.
New Orleans got to the free throw line 37 times, making 34 of those. That aggressiveness helped compensate for an offense that struggled to consistently create quality looks.
The Pelicans made only 10 three-pointers on 30 attempts. They also committed 15 turnovers, too many of which became opportunities for Indiana to attack before the defense could get set.
The larger issue, however, wasn't simply missed shots or turnovers. It was how often the Pelicans needed individual players to manufacture offense.
Zion Williamson scored 22 points, including two encouraging three-pointers. Dejounte Murray added 23 points and seven assists. Both made important plays, but New Orleans too often appeared to be searching for individual solutions rather than executing a connected offensive system.
Indiana, meanwhile, recorded 29 assists on 47 made baskets. The Pelicans finished with 23 assists on 38 field goals. Those numbers aren't definitive proof of offensive structure, but the difference was apparent.
The Pacers consistently created advantages through ball movement, player movement, and decisive execution. New Orleans had to fall back on its talent to overcome difficult possessions. And the lack of perimeter shooting makes that approach even more challenging.
When defense can collapse toward the paint without consistently paying a price from beyond the arc, the Pelicans make life harder for their best offensive players.
There's enough individual talent on this roster to produce impressive scoring nights. The question is whether Mosley can establish an offense that makes those performances easier to achieve and more sustainable.
Wednesday offered little evidence that New Orleans has found that balance.
The young players provided some hope
The most encouraging performances came from two players who represent the franchise's future.
Yves Missi finished with 13 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three blocks. Derik Queen added 10 points and 10 boards in just over 18 minutes. Together, they grabbed 24 rebounds, including eight on the offensive glass.
Mosley described Missi's performance as "absolutely incredible," and it was difficult to disagree. Missi provided energy, rim protection, and offensive activity. Queen demonstrated his rebounding instincts and willingness to compete physically.
Their contributions stood in contrast to some of the team's more established players.
Williamson and Trey Murphy III combined for eight rebounds, including just one offensive board. Saddiq Bey was the only other Pelican to collect at least five rebounds. Missi also matched the combined assist total of Williamson, Murphy, and Jeremiah Fears.
That doesn't mean the veterans failed in every respect or that the young players were flawless. But it raises a legitimate question about where the Pelicans are getting the consistent activity and execution necessary to win.
The development of Missi and Queen should be encouraging. Both have the potential to become important pieces of whatever New Orleans builds next. But individual development and collective improvement aren't interchangeable.
The Pelicans need their established players to provide more consistent production, particularly in areas that don't always dominate the box score.
The Pelicans have to earn their optimism
Perhaps the most frustrating part of Wednesday's loss is that New Orleans has beaten better version of Indiana with less talented teams.
The Pelicans won their home meetings with the Pacers in each of the previous two seasons. The 21-win team of 2024-25 beat an Indiana squad the eventually reached the NBA Finals by seven points.
Wednesday wasn't an impossible assignment. It was a winnable home game against a quality opponent, and the Pelicans couldn't finish the job.
There is a difference between losing because an opponent makes extraordinary plays and losing because your own weaknesses repeatedly put you in difficult positions.
The Pacers deserve credit for their fourth-quarter execution. Haliburton, returning from a devastating Achilles injury, reminded everyone why he's one of the NBA's most dangerous playmakers.
But New Orleans didn't simply fall victim to Indiana's excellence. The Pelicans contributed to their own defeat through familiar defensive breakdowns, offensive stagnation, and an inability to sustain their best basketball.
That matters for a franchise that has spent so much time asking its fans to believe better days are coming. It's now been 717 days since the Pelicans held a .500 record. Nearly two years without even reaching the break-even point. That's not a temporary setback. It's evidence of a franchise that has struggled to establish a competitive standard.
Mosley deserves an opportunity to build his program. Young players need time to develop, and one loss doesn't determine the direction of an 82-game season. But the Pelicans shouldn't confuse the patience necessary for development with an obligation from their fans to believe that things have changed. That belief has to be supported by something more substantial than a competitive loss.
For years, this franchise has asked fans to be hopeful while having a really hard time delivering the kind of results that justify that hope. Wednesday's opener did little to change the equation.
The Pelicans were close enough to win, but they didn't look different enough to inspire confience that the outcome was anything more than familiar.
New Orleans doesn't get to start another season with the benefit of the doubt.
The Pelicans have to earn it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google