Among the indelible highlights from New Orleans’ trip to the 2022 playoffs was a Jose Alvarado out-of-nowhere, fourth-quarter steal of Phoenix point guard Chris Paul in Game 4, leading to a Herb Jones reverse layup that caused the Smoothie King Center crowd to come unglued. The Jones bucket helped seal a Pelicans home victory and evened the series at two games apiece. Though the Suns ultimately prevailed 4-2, that first-round matchup and atmosphere in the Blender produced a few lasting memories.
“Really an elite atmosphere,” New Orleans forward Trey Murphy remembered after Friday’s practice of the raucous home environment in ’22. “Everybody was really into the game. Everybody was loud, rambunctious. It definitely fueled us in our games. (We are) definitely going to need that Saturday and Monday.”
Trey Murphy III & Jose Alvarado on Game 3 vs. OKC Thunder 4/26/24
At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, the eighth-seeded Pelicans will host top-seeded Oklahoma City in their first home playoff game in almost exactly two years (April 28, 2022). For Alvarado, a return to the Smoothie King Center for playoff basketball brought to mind some of the most enjoyable moments of his pro career.
“It was fun. I remember it being fun,” Alvarado said. “Had a lot of fun out there. That’s what we’ve got to do Saturday. It’s going to start with the crowd. We’ve got to get them going.”
“Getting back home is healthy for us,” said head coach Willie Green, who guided the Pelicans to the playoffs two years ago in his rookie campaign as sideline leader. “You get to sleep in your own bed. We’re excited to play in front of our fans.”
New Orleans players understand they must perform much better in Game 3 to gain the full impact of fans who will be wearing red “Get Loud” T-shirts, giving the crowd reasons to yell.
“That’s what I do, bring that type of energy,” Alvarado said, when asked about getting the audience involved in Game 3. “You’ve got to make plays to make it happen. You can’t just go out there. I’ve got to go make plays, regardless of if that’s scoring or not. Most likely, I want to make them on the defensive end and get everybody going.”
Other notes from Friday’s practice:
Green mentioned guarding Oklahoma City better individually as a key to improvement, as well as taking better care of the ball (the Pelicans committed 18 turnovers Wednesday, including eight offensive fouls). Green added: “(The Thunder) were the aggressors in Game 2, more physical than we were. We have to up the level in those areas.” …
On NOLA’s eight offensive fouls, Green noted, “That’s not something I’ve seen in awhile.” …
Green on Larry Nance Jr., who left Game 2 with a right leg injury: “He went through a full practice, so that’s a positive sign. He had a little soreness after the game, but today he went through a full practice, so that’s good for us.” …
Willie Green on Game 3 adjustments vs. OKC Thunder 4/26/24
Green on his message and emphasis to Brandon Ingram, who shot just 37 percent from the field in the two games at OKC: “Keep making winning plays on both ends of the floor. For our whole team, we don’t want to put a whole bunch of focus on trying to force-feed (one player or one option). If we make winning plays over and over again, everything will open up for us.” …
Alvarado on the Pelicans’ outlook in the series trailing 0-2 vs. the Thunder: “They beat us twice at their crib. Now it’s time to take care of homecourt. They did what they were supposed to do, no matter how much we lost by. You’ve got to look past it and protect our house.”