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

New Orleans Pelicans interim head coach James Borrego talks with the crew throughout a play overview throughout the first half of the basketball recreation towards the Golden State Warriors on the Smoothie King Middle in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Workers Photograph by David Grunfeld, The Occasions-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 time beyond regulation loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves was not solely a recreation the Pelicans may have gained, but it surely 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 recreation. Jeremiah Fears missed a contested layup with 13.6 seconds left. Minnesota, trailing 129-127, referred to as a timeout with 7 seconds left. Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards drove to the basket for a lay-up to ship the sport to time beyond regulation 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 crew throughout a play overview throughout the first half of the basketball recreation towards the Golden State Warriors on the Smoothie King Middle in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. (Workers Photograph by David Grunfeld, The Occasions-Picayune)
So its straightforward to grasp why Pelicans’ interim head coach James Borrego used Wednesday’s follow to focus solely on finish of recreation conditions.
“(It’s an) space of  development,” Borrego mentioned. “You place your self in these positions and now you’ve bought to shut. We’re on the aim line and we’ve bought to determine how one can 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 follow helped. They get one other shot on the Timberwolves (13-8) Thursday at Smoothie King Middle.
Losses within the clutch function teachable moments for a younger crew, notably rookies like Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears.
“Simply be extra disciplined,” Queen mentioned. “Shut out the sport higher. No turnovers. No second probabilities for them. And simply execute.”
Borrego’s Wednesday follow consisted of the crew going by way of numerous finish of recreation eventualities. It ranged from being up by two with 30 seconds left to being down by 2 with 30 seconds left and every little thing in between.
“Do it till you want what you see,” Borrego mentioned. “Be certain we’re all speaking about it what we’re searching for and attempt to replicate it as a lot as attainable. You’ll be able to’t get the strain stage or stress stage that you just’ll get tomorrow evening or in a recreation, however you’ll be able to actually simulate it as a lot as you’ll be able to.”
Borrego focuses on the main points and is all about repetition till the crew will get it proper. Due to the best way the schedule has performed out, this was simply his fourth precise follow with the crew since taking up for Willie Inexperienced. A whole lot of the follow time has centered on what Borrego calls “extra foundational stuff.”
“This crew has to dominate the margins,” Borrego mentioned. “That’s the aim proper now.”
The margins are how the crew does after a timeout. And on the finish of quarters and finish of video games.
“These conditions we wish to dominate,” Borrego mentioned. “It’s very doable. It’s not rocket science. (It takes) some focus. You’ve bought to provide it consideration. You’ve bought to cope with it. Ensuring guys know the place they have to be. All of it comes all the way down to the main points there. (Wednesday) was most likely probably the most detailed, finish of the sport follow 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 great thing about this crew. No person’s hanging their heads.”
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