Zion Williamson sank the second of two free throws with 8:17 remaining in the first half of what would end up being a 139-122 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. The New Orleans Pelicans would not get another favorable whistle from the referees despite the two-time NBA All-Star taking all 19 shots on the night from within five feet of the rim. Williamson hit six of seven free throws within the game's first 15 minutes and never returned to the charity stripe.
Considering the calls made, or not, throughout this most recent game and the regular season, it's a concerning trend. There is only so much Willie Green can game plan for if the refs are calling fouls differently on opposite ends of the floor. The Point Zion Williamson is effective but players can only be so patient when obvious fouls are ignored one moment yet whistled the next possession. Green's patience wore a little thin against the Lakers.
“Tonight was one of those nights where they got to the foul line,” Green stated. “We got a little frustrated with some of the calls. We've got to continue to go out and play. I got frustrated too.”
The Pelicans could have pushed the Lakers to five games behind the NBA Play-In Tournament cutoff line. Instead, New Orleans is now just three games ahead of Los Angeles for the seventh seed, which comes with home-court advantage in all elimination games. Williamson would not make excuses after the loss though.
“Granted, they were hitting shots,” Zion Williamson said. “But we were fine with that. If you are going to hit tough shots, that happens. But we can't give up easy layups and transition baskets because that's when the game gets out of hand.”
Pelicans, Zion Williamson's frustrations warranted
Games also get out of hand when teams can pack the paint on defense and live at the free-throw line on offense. The Lakers shot 32 free throws, the Pelicans just 23. Los Angeles kept dropping defenders into the paint for half the shot clock, yet no defensive three-second violations were called on the home team. Herb Jones, one of the most active defenders in the NBA, got hit with a violation call in the first quarter.
Williamson missed four shots over the next six minutes of action, all at the rim and through a tangle of arms. With 2:37 remaining, Williamson snagged a defensive rebound and was putting up a contested layup five seconds later. He got the offensive rebound and went up for another layup, again bumped off the mark. Jonas Valanciunas secured the rebound but his put-back attempt was unsuccessful. Brandon Ingram was called for a foul and Green went livid, earning a technical foul in the process.
Williamson was 7-13 from the field after his final free throws. The Lakers commit the fewest fouls per game in the NBA but statistically, there had to be a foul on at least one of Williamson's misses. A look at the replays suggests the referees swallowed their whistles on a handful of plays. Executive Vice President David Griffin was mid-interview during the broadcast when Lebron James got a questionable call.
The Pelicans had the most referee errors go against them in the first half of the season. Zion Williamson is 19th in free throws attempted yet second in points in the paint per game. Williamson is 10th overall in the percentage of points in the paint but 54th in free throws attempted during clutch moments. The Duke alum is not known for selling fouls with loud yells or getting in the face of a dismissive referee. However, allotting a portion of the newly signed max-level contract is just part of the job.
It's a necessary evil until Williamson and the Pelicans earn their respect in the NBA Playoffs. Green's locker room just has to keep their cool until then, and hope for more balanced whistles once the postseason spotlight is on the officials as well.
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