NBA
Are the Pelicans eliminated if they lose against the Thunder in game 4 today?
With Zion Williamson sidelined by a hamstring injury, New Orleans have been no match for Oklahoma in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
The New Orleans Pelicans’ disappointing end to the regular season, which they finished with a 5-5 record, cost them automatic qualification for the 2024 NBA Playoffs and forced them to go through the Play-in tournament. Although they did eventually progress as No. 8 seed, that meant they had to take on Western Conference top dogs the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
Zion Williamson absences hampers Pelicans against Thunder
As many had predicted, the series has not gone well for Willie Green’s team so far and they head into Monday’s Game 4 on the brink of elimination.
The Pelicans, it should be said, have been hampered by an injury to star man Zion Williamson, who hasn’t featured in any of the three first-round games. The power forward has been on the sidelines since suffering a hamstring injury in the Play-in tournament defeat to the Lakers on 17 April and he has also been ruled out of the fourth meeting between the teams.
Oklahoma lead New Orleans 3-0 in first-round series
New Orleans put up an excellent fight in Game 1, which was level at half-time. However, a strong third quarter from the Thunder left their opponents with just a little too much to do in the fourth, resulting in a narrow 94-92 win for the No.1 seed.
Games 2 and 3 followed an entirely different pattern, though, with Oklahoma racing into early leads that they built on later. The Pelicans didn’t win a single of the eight quarters in those two games, seven of which were taken by the Thunder, who triumphed 124-92 at Paycom Center and 106-85 at Smoothie King Center.
What the Pelicans need to stay alive in the playoffs
The Pelicans simply have to win in Game 4 in Louisiana on Monday to keep the series alive, along with Williamson’s hopes of being involved in this year’s playoffs.
A fourth straight win for Mark Daigneault’s team will send them into the conference semifinals and give them up to a week off to boot.
The winner of the series will face the victor of the match-up between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks, which is currently tied at 2-2 after four games.