When this NBA season began, there were more than a few people who predicted that the New Orleans Pelicans could be the best team in the West and could even surge all the way to the Finals.
This was partly because of the return of Zion Williamson but also because the team’s young core had proven itself to be something special during last season.
Months later, they are in a lot of trouble.
As noted by the statistical Twitter account BrickMuse, the last time that a team sitting atop the Western Conference in December missed the playoffs was 34 years ago when the Dallas Mavericks fell from grace.
But the Pelicans are very close to doing the same thing.
The last time a team was 1st in the West in December and missed the playoffs was 34 years ago (Dallas).
The Pelicans are on the verge of one of the biggest collapses in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/gZo971maiU
— BrickMuse (@BrickMuse) February 28, 2023
They were once the best team in their conference.
But following Monday night’s loss to the Sacramento Kings, the Pelicans are now battling it out with the Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz for qualification into the play-in games.
If they continue to lose, they will not have a shot at even trying to fight into the playoffs.
The loss of Williamson has severely hurt the Pelicans, which is plain to see.
They are now exactly where they were last season, struggling to secure wins and earn a shot at playing into the postseason.
That shows that without Williamson, progress might be near impossible.
The last couple of weeks has been really tough for the Pelicans, as they have gone 1-6.
But the week ahead won’t get much easier, as the Pels take on the Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Blazers, and Lakers.
NEXT: Brandon Ingram Has Been A Bright Spot For The Pelicans
