Pelicans embarrass themselves in awful loss to lowly Timberwolves

The table was set.

The New Orleans Pelicans were a well rested team, having not played in a week.

They were at home against a truly awful team, the worst team in the NBA in Minnesota.

All the Pelicans had to do was to sit down and dine on the Timberwolves.

The Pelicans never sat.

The T-Wolves made themselves at home, took their seat and did the eating, devouring the Pelicans 135-105.

Where do you start?

The Pelicans started well, leading 34-27 after one quarter.

In fact, New Orleans had a 15-point lead, at one point.

Now, New Orleans has lost five games this season when leading by at least 15 points, the most of any team in the league.

The fast start evaporated into an even faster decline.

Compared to Minnesota, New Orleans looked the part of the tortoise to the hare nature of the T-Wolves. The effort made the hair on your neck stand up, if you were brave enough to watch the debacle to its conclusion.

When a team simply wants it more, when it outworks you, the lack of overall talent can be overcome.

That happened Thursday.

The effort given by the Pelicans was horrendous. It was uglier than ugly.

Minnesota had lost nine straight games.

The Timberwolves beat the Pelicans to loose ball and simply beat up the Pelicans in all phases after the first quarter. Players you have never heard of posted career highs.

Once again, an opponent shot the lights out against New Orleans. It is certainly a trend, a familiar refrain, not pure luck.

The Timberwolves made 19-of-40 (47.5%) from 3-point range. They shot 53.7 percent from the field and 87.5 percent from the free throw line.

The Pelicans turned the ball over 18 times, including six by Josh Hart.

At least Kira Lewis Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker got minutes.

Brandon Ingram was virtually invisible.

Minnesota was determined to take him away and the T-Wolves did so very effectively.

Zion Williamson had 24 points and played hart but he was visibly frustrated and he missed five free throws.

The only other bright spot was Steven Adams, who played hard and had 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The look and the performance left you with the impression that this team was simply indifferent, not caring.

How that happens is hard to explain.

The team that can’t shoot straight from distance was a miserable 6-of-32 (18.8%) from 3-point range and made just 13-of-24 free throws, a miserable 54.2 percent.

Former Pelicans assistant Chris Finch delighted in punishing the team he once worked for.

Of course, we all knew the coaching staff was the problem previously. It was all Alvin Gentry’s fault.

You still want to buy that narrative?

This is a mismatched, flawed New Orleans roster.

It is a roster devoid of anyone who can or will defend.

It is a roster devoid of anyone who can shoot the ball from distance, the trend in the league today.

The Timberwolves have just eight wins this year.

Two of those are against the Pelicans.

Both are by double figures.

Stan Van Gundy called the effort “embarrassing.”

That is on the players.

It is also on the coach, who is clearly not connecting with his players to extract maximum effort or to shape a team into improving as the season goes on.

The body language was downright visibly awful.

In timeout situations, a few times, it appeared a player or two weren’t even in the huddle paying attention.

Fans were booing audibly, despite the limited, though increased attendance at Smoothie King Center.

“We didn’t seem to care, we got what we deserved,” Van Gundy said.

Now, another bad team in Cleveland arrives in New Orleans to take on the Pelicans Friday.

Of course, based on what we witnessed Thursday, the Cavaliers will be facing a bad team and that’s bad but factual news.

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