What the Charlotte Hornets said after their 112-107 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans

Once again, the Charlotte Hornets came up short.

The injury-riddled Hornets played a complete game in a 112-107 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night, but Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas were just a little bit better.

The Pelicans’ frontcourt duo combined for 50 points as the visitors bolted past Charlotte (7-16) in the fourth quarter. The game was close throughout, and the Hornets had their chances late, but New Orleans gained an edge early on and remained a step ahead.

“They’re a team that’s long and they’re helping a lot, overhelping,” Hornets point guard Terry Rozier told reporters postgame. “I think we should’ve moved it a lot more in the first half, and I just we kind of found that in the second half with our defense — our energy and our defense. I think that was huge. We got stops and got a chance to run.”

Charlotte’s backup center, Nick Richards, filled in nicely for Mark Williams, posting a season-high-tying 16 points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the field. He had 12 in the first half, tying his career-best in a half, which led the Hornets heading into the break.

He was one of four Hornets to finish with double-digit scoring numbers, led by Rozier’s third 30-point performance. Miles Bridges posted a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Brandon Miller, whose multiple 3-pointers in nine straight games represent the longest streak by an NBA rookie this season, finished with 16 points.

After Charlotte hosts the Philadelphia 76ers at 7 p.m. Saturday, they’ll embark on a six-game West Coast road trip that’ll include matchups with the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.

“Our effort’s been good. Guys are playing hard,” head coach Steve Clifford said postgame. “Look, this stretch coming up, this next three weeks for us is about as tough as it gets in this league.”

Williamson, the phenom who was born in Salisbury and starred at Spartanburg Day and Duke, had missed the Pelicans’ last game with a left ankle sprain. He played 30 minutes on Friday, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

The Hornets’ Williams did not play Friday due to a back contusion. PJ Washington, who injured his left shoulder last game, missed the game, as well.

On Nathan Mensah’s NBA debut

“Mensah did a terrific job,” Clifford said. “His first NBA game, young guy. But, if you watch him in practice, you wouldn’t be surprised. Because he’s diligent, he pays attention. .... It’s a tough, tough matchup for your first NBA game.”

Charlotte’s newest two-way player, who arrived after the team waived two-way guard Theo Maledon on Thursday, grabbed seven rebounds in his NBA debut.

He fouled out in the fourth quarter. A pair of free throws early in the fourth were his only two points, but he gave the undermanned Hornets 13 minutes off the bench.

“He did a great job,” Brandon Miller said postgame. “His presence down there, I felt like he did a great job on the defensive side, just getting boards, some blocks. He’s gonna be great for us.”

The San Diego State product had played 14 games for the Greensboro Swarm, where he averaged 10.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.1 blocks.

On the slow start offensively

“I couldn’t even say it was our offense,” Brandon Miller told reporters postgame. “I think it was just the overall game, executing and going out there and executing the gameplan. We struggled early guarding the post ups with Zion [Williamson]. He’s a great player. I think just going into the next game, going into tomorrow and playing as hard as we can to get the win.”

“I think they helped, they’re long. We didn’t do a good job moving the defense, but we made really poor decisions in the paint, too,” Clifford said. “Not playing off two feet, not playing under control, not looking for the kickout 3s.”

On facing Jonas Valanciunas

“It’s just hard,” Clifford said about Valanciunas, who finished with a season-best 29 points. “Number one, he’s a really good player. He’s been a good player for a long time. It’s evident right in the first quarter there they were going to go to him a lot more than usual. He’s big and he’s physical and he really knows how to play.

“It does two things — it gets them in the bonus early because we foul before he catches it, and then you don’t want to double team everybody. You can’t guard Zion with one guy. (Brandon) Ingram had a stretch where he got going so we started double teaming him. When you’re double teaming three guys, it’s hard. I think (Valanciunas) drew two fouls right away to start the fourth, so that’s how they got in the bonus early.”

On the Hornets’ defense giving the team opportunities to score

“Our games we’ve played better defense, our deflection numbers have been up. That’s what really got us going tonight in the third quarter,” Clifford said. “Hopefully that can be something that we can build on. Our best possessions tonight were that — came out early and Terry (Rozier) deflects it and it led to a layup, Gordon (Hayward) had a deflection that led to a three-on-two.

“We’ve got to have those things. Our defense has been a lot, lot better the last seven or eight games except for the defensive rebounding. Tonight, they had 13 (offensive rebounds). That’s been our biggest problem.”

Said Rozier: “Just being more active with our hands, being active in general. That was kind of a focal point at halftime. We weren’t getting deflections and weren’t being aggressive. We kind of turned that up in the second half and great things happen when you play that way.”

‘No timetable’ for LaMelo Ball’s return

The injury-hampered Hornets will continue to be without star point guard LaMelo Ball for the foreseeable future.

The team said Friday that Ball has continued progressing in conditioning and individual activities, but head coach Steve Clifford said he can’t put a timetable on his return.

“No timetable,” Clifford told reporters pregame. “He’s just now starting to do more on the court.”

Ball has been out since suffering a right ankle sprain on Nov. 26 against Orlando. Clifford was again asked about if he had a target date for Ball’s return postgame, to which the Hornets’ coach responded: “No.”

James Borrego returns to Spectrum Center as Pelicans assistant

“I didn’t even know he was an assistant coach over there,” Terry Rozier said. “So, I see him over there, had to show him some love. It was dope.”

Borrego, the Hornets’ head coach from 2018-2022, returned to the Queen City on Friday night as an assistant for New Orleans.

“He’s been fantastic for us,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said pregame. “We go back to my time playing, and having an opportunity to work together again has been a joy. I’m sure it’s gonna be emotional for him. He was here for four seasons, I believe, and did a fantastic job while he was here. Seeing that each year they got better and better as a team.”