Depleted Pelicans blown out by red hot Hornets

When you are without your top player and scorer, it is an obstacle to overcome.

When you are without your second leading scorer as well, it is a mountain to climb.

When you are without your third top offensive threat to boot, you are going to get the boot and how.

That is how the Pelicans had to feel Friday night at home against a team called the Hornets, which they used to be called.

When you cannot stop anyone, you are never going to win.

The Pelicans gave up a season high 142 points to a below .500 team in a 142-120 defeat.

Charlotte broke open a close game by outscoring New Orleans 42-27 in the third quarter.

The Hornets blistered the nets to the tune of 59.8 percent and made an astonishing 22 shots from 3-point range.

An indication of shot making and sharing the ball was the fact that Charlotte had an amazing 41 assists on 52 made shots.

Basically, the Hornets did whatever they wanted to do with their reserves scoring 59 points.

There was one bright, make that very bright spot for New Orleans.

First-round draft pick Trey Murphy III finally had his coming out party, scoring 32 points, making 12 of 20 shots from the field, including 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Murphy added nine rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. It was a pleasure to see. Murphy’s previous highs were 12 points and six rebounds.

Devonte Graham was inserted into the starting lineup and fared well with 19 points, making 7 of 14 shots, including four 3-pointers. Naji Marshall had 14 points in a starting role and Herb Jones had 12 points and eight assists. Jaxson Hayes finished with 13 points and Willy Hernangomez scored 15 off the bench.

Without Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, the Pelicans desperately needed a big game from Jonas Valanciunas but the big man scored just 10 points with eight rebounds.

New Orleans shot 50 percent from the field.

The problem was not offense.

It was purely defense, looking the part of the defense we saw under Stan Van Gundy and Alvin Gentry, not what we have seen much of the time under Willie Green.

Aside from Murphy, the other bright spot was the sight of Williamson on the Pelicans bench, the first time we have seen that in months.

The Pelicans are now 2-15 without Ingram and have not won a game without McCollum. You already know the record without Zion.

With the losing streak now at four and with no end in sight to the absence of top players, New Orleans will host Houston Sunday.

Despite the depleted bottom half of the Western Conference, the Pelicans are frittering away the advantage they held in the tenth and final play-in spot in the playoff race as San Antonio won Friday night to pull within a game of the Pelicans for the final postseason spot while LeBron James went off as the Lakers won to pull another game ahead of New Orleans in the standings.

The enthusiasm of a week ago following four straight huge wins out of the All-Star break has dissipated dramatically, quickly, disappointingly.