The New Orleans Pelicans snatched defeat straight from the jaws of victory on Monday night. The Indiana Pacers staged an improbable comeback at the end of regulation to tie the game, then hit a game-winning shot in overtime to steal the win, 118-116.
Leading 106-100 in the final minute of the fourth quarter, the Pelicans would allow Victor Oladipo to hit a three-pointer with 20.5 seconds left to pull within three points.
JJ Redick and Lonzo Ball then combined to fumble the ball away in the backcourt while being pressed by the Pacers. Oladipo would corral the loose ball and, eventually, Myles Turner would bury the game-tying three-pointer with 8.2 seconds left.
In the extra period, the Pelicans tied the game on a Steven Adams steal that led to a fastbreak dunk from Lonzo Ball to tie the game at 116-116 with 25.5 seconds left. Malcolm Brogdon would give the guests the win, though, with a floater with just under seconds remaining.
The loss was a historic one for all the wrong reasons. Per ESPN Stats and Info, via ESPN’s Andrew Lopez, entering Monday, teams were 8,104-2 when leading by at least six points in the final 25 seconds, as New Orleans was. The Pelicans became just the third team to lose the game in that situation.
Interestingly, the last occurrence came in 2018 when Boston beat Oklahoma City after trailing by six in the final 20 seconds, meaning Steven Adams has been apart of the last two occurrences.
The Pelicans will have a day off to lick their wounds before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
