The New Orleans Pelicans struggled to make the playoffs through the play-in tournament, but their stay there was short-lived as the Oklahoma City Thunder took a four-game lead and were eliminated at the first hurdle.
The series got off to a good start. A Chet Holmgren block at the rim and a Shai Gilgeous-to-Alexander game-winner in the final seconds stood between the Pelicans and their shocking Game 1 victory in Oklahoma City. . However, their performance gave the Thunder hope that they could move forward and make this a competitive series.
But it turned out to be a diversionary operation. The Thunder defeated the Pelicans by 32 points and 21 points in Games 2 and 3, and completed the sweep with a 97-89 victory in Game 4 on Monday. On the New Orleans defense, star forward Zion Williamson has been sidelined since missing the play-in tournament with a hamstring strain, and Brandon Ingram is back after missing 12 games with a hyperextended knee. He hasn’t been feeling well ever since. In the post-game press conference, he acknowledged his knee injury, but refused to use it as an excuse for his disappointing performance in the series. A distraught Ingram said:
“I played.I don’t think it’s time to make excuses for how I look or how I feel. I played it, but there wasn’t much left. I couldn’t find the rhythm. Maybe it was my body, but I was there and just tried to play aggressively. I try to involve my teammates.
He deserves credit for not using this as an excuse, but it’s the only viable explanation for Ingram’s outrageous decline in form. Before taking time off due to injury, he was averaging 20.9 points, 5.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds. After returning for the Pelicans’ final game of the regular season, the forward’s numbers dropped to 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
In Williamson’s absence, he averaged nearly 23 points during the regular season, but was unable to put up nearly as many points in the Pelicans’ final five games of the season with his star teammate sidelined. Ta. It was a disappointing end to a promising year for the 26-year-old star player.
The biggest season of Brandon Ingram’s life is approaching.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum was sympathetic, saying the forward tried his best but he wasn’t healthy enough to rise to the challenge. He said this in the postgame press conference:
“We have nothing but love for Brandon Ingram.” B was injured in a collision with fire. A game with high stakes. A tough game against a world-class defender in Dort…Brandon has his limits, he’s young and talented. He works on his craft. He strives to improve every year. ”
His teammates seem willing to give him a pass because of his disappointing season, but Ingram hasn’t bought into that yet. But the striker has no time to mourn. He is in the final year of a five-year, $186 million contract extension signed in November 2020. The 26-year-old is eligible for a five-year, $300 million supermax deal, but his performance doesn’t justify such a huge deal.
Ingram, who has one year left on his contract, could be traded if the Pelicans want to avoid paying him in the 2025 offseason. New Orleans would like to sign him to a cheap extension, but he will likely decline. No matter where he starts next season, he will need to have an exceptional season to earn a contract extension anywhere near his available value. It’s the biggest season of Brandon Ingram’s career, but it’s still unclear whether it will be held in New Orleans or elsewhere.