Facing an already difficult task of taking on the top team in the Eastern Conference on the road, the Pelicans announced Friday that Zion Williamson is out indefinitely with a fractured finger on his left hand.
Without Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Steven Adams, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Josh Hart, the Pelicans’ second unit put in a great performance and Jaxson Hayes had a career night to erase a second half deficit, but New Orleans spoiled a chance to steal the game on the final possession of the game.
The Pelicans trailed by 16 points to start the second half, but outscored the 76ers 37-18 in the third period, with Wenyen Gabriel and Kira Lewis Jr. combining to go on a 10-1 run in the final 1:35 in the third to give New Orleans the lead.
The final minute of the game was frantic, with crucial turnovers by both teams. A rare eight-second call with 10.7 remaining gave the Pelicans, down 109-107, a chance to win the game – but a bad pass from Eric Bledsoe sealed the win for the Sixers.
Joel Embiid contains Eric Bledsoe downhill, forces the pass and it leads to a turnover. Sixers win. pic.twitter.com/2NmkHtEE7f
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) May 8, 2021
