Riding high after a 3-game winning streak, everything came crashing down for the Pelicans in the Staples Center tonight, aptly known as Black Friday. The high energy seen recently went dormant, akin to what fans witnessed throughout the first few weeks of the season.
Outside of moments by several players like Ish Smith and Ryan Anderson, the play of New Orleans during the first half was largely lethargic. They never found their groove which was a pity because the Clippers didn't play nearly well enough to have a 21-point halftime advantage.
We're not going to delve into further analysis because nothing else can be gained through an examination of a game where the Pelicans failed to give anywhere near the appropriate effort.