Pelicans emphasize finish of sport conditions after loss to Timberwolves – NOLA.com

New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego talks with the group throughout a play evaluate in the course of the first half of the basketball sport in opposition to the Golden State Warriors on the Smoothie King Heart in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Workers Photograph by David Grunfeld, The Instances-Picayune)
The New Orleans Pelicans’ movie session Wednesday morning was the nineteenth one this season that got here after a loss.
This one was maybe the hardest one to observe.
Most of the different 18 losses had been blowouts or video games that had been determined by the point the tip of the fourth quarter got here round.
Tuesday’s additional time loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves was not solely a sport the Pelicans might have gained, however it was one they need to have gained.
The Pels led 129-125 when Jose Alvarado rebounded a missed shot by Minnesota’s Donte DiVinceno with simply 46.4 seconds remaining. However Alvarado turned the ball over, resulting in a Timberwolves’ basket to make it a 2-point sport. Jeremiah Fears missed a contested layup with 13.6 seconds left. Minnesota, trailing 129-127, known as a timeout with 7 seconds left. Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards drove to the basket for a lay-up to ship the sport to additional time and Minnesota pulled away. The Pelicans had a foul to provide on the Edwards drive, however didn’t use it.
New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego talks with the group throughout a play evaluate in the course of the first half of the basketball sport in opposition to the Golden State Warriors on the Smoothie King Heart in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Workers Photograph by David Grunfeld, The Instances-Picayune)
So its straightforward to know why Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego used Wednesday’s apply to focus solely on finish of sport conditions.
“(It’s an) space of  progress,” Borrego mentioned. “You place your self in these positions and now you’ve obtained to shut. We’re on the aim line and we’ve obtained to determine learn how to shut. It’s maturity. It is execution. It’s poise. It’s confidence.”
The Pelicans (3-19) don’t have to attend lengthy to see if the apply helped. They get one other shot on the Timberwolves (13-8) Thursday at Smoothie King Heart.
Losses within the clutch function teachable moments for a younger group, notably rookies like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.
“Simply be extra disciplined,” Queen mentioned. “Shut out the sport higher. No turnovers. No second possibilities for them. And simply execute.”
Borrego’s Wednesday apply consisted of the group going by means of numerous finish of sport situations. It ranged from being up by two with 30 seconds left to being down by 2 with 30 seconds left and every thing in between.
“Do it till you want what you see,” Borrego mentioned. “Be certain we’re all speaking about it what we’re in search of and attempt to replicate it as a lot as doable. You’ll be able to’t get the strain degree or stress degree that you simply’ll get tomorrow evening or in a sport, however you possibly can definitely simulate it as a lot as you possibly can.”
Borrego focuses on the small print and is all about repetition till the group will get it proper. Due to the way in which the schedule has performed out, this was simply his fourth precise apply with the group since taking up for Willie Inexperienced. Plenty of the apply time has targeted on what Borrego calls “extra foundational stuff.”
“This group has to dominate the margins,” Borrego mentioned. “That’s the aim proper now.”
The margins are how the group does after a timeout. And on the finish of quarters and finish of video games.
“These conditions we need to dominate,” Borrego mentioned. “It’s very doable. It’s not rocket science. (It takes) some focus. You’ve obtained to provide it consideration. You’ve obtained to cope with it. Ensuring guys know the place they must be. All of it comes all the way down to the small print there. (Wednesday) was most likely essentially the most detailed, finish of the sport apply I’ve had shortly. It’s been a minute. It felt good. We felt the ache of final evening. We owned it. That’s the fantastic thing about this group. No one’s hanging their heads.”
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