METAIRIE, La. (AP) \u2014 As Pelicans coach Willie Green took repeated questions about his job security, he kept calm and expressed empathy toward the very New Orleans fans that have made him the object of their ire.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you take these positions, this is what comes with it,\u201d Green said as his 0-6 team prepared for Tuesday night’s home game against Charlotte.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThere is no way around that,” Green continued. \u201cIf the team doesn\u2019t do well or doesn\u2019t start the way you want it to, I\u2019m up front and center.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not only have the Pelicans opened on a six-game skid, but three of those losses have come by 31 or more points.<\/p>\n
Green said the only way forward is \u201cturning the page\u201d on a dreadful past two weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously we\u2019re all disappointed, frustrated with our start,” said Green, not that he speaks daily with first-year basketball operations chief Joe Dumars. “We continue to come in, work at it and address it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Green is now in his fifth season as the Pelicans’ coach. New Orleans has made the postseason in three of those four seasons, but has yet to finish as a top-six seed in the tough Western Conference.<\/p>\n
Twice, the Pelicans advanced past the play-in tournament before losing first-round playoff series to Phoenix in 2022 and Oklahoma City in 2024. In 2023, the Pelicans were eliminated in the play-in stage by Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n
Last season, the Pelicans were plagued by injuries, including to star power forward Zion Williamson, and lost the last seven games of the regular season to finish second to last in the West at 21-61.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe are definitely in a spot where we need to win games,\u201d forward Trey Murphy III said. \u201cWe are not happy with what\u2019s going on right now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to have to go out there and fight and compete,\u201d Murphy added. That\u2019s the biggest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Murphy takes heart in the fact that as a rookie, during the 2021-22 season, the Pelicans started 1-12, but finished strong to narrowly qualify for the play-in before advancing to the playoffs.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not about how you start.,” Murphy said. “It\u2019s how you finish.\u201d<\/p>\n
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While Dumars has doubled-down on oft-injured Williamson as New Orleans’ franchise player, he made a number of roster changes this past offseason. New players in starting or more prominent reserve roles include free-agent signings Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney and Saddiq Bey. He also drafted guard Jeremiah Fears seventh overall before trading back into the first round to take forward Derik Queen with the 13th overall pick.<\/p>\n
New Orleans’ early season depth also has been effected by an injury to Looney and guard Dejounte Murray’s prolonged recovery from his Achilles tear last season.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot to make any excuses, but it\u2019s a new group playing against really experienced teams,\u201d Green said when asked about his club’s three blowout losses. \u201cWith Boston, Denver and OKC, if you don\u2019t compete for 48 minutes \u2014 play hard and play together against groups like that \u2014 they expose you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI totally understand the frustration from fans,\u201d Green added. \u201cWe all feel the same way, and we want to get it right.\u201d<\/p>\n
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