The Pelicans nightmare trip out West concluded with one final stomach punch Monday night as New Orleans came up short for the sixth straight contest, a 122-116 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New Orleans got to within a point in the final minute of regulation but couldn’t overtake an Oklahoma City team that had lost Russell Westbrook to a nasty sprained ankle late in the third quarter.
Anthony Davis, who famously said needed to channel his inner Westbrook after DeMarcus Cousins ruptured his Achilles this past February, was very un-Westbrook-like in needing 20 shots to get 20 points, and he was constantly beat up by Thunder big Steven Adams in the painted area.