It was not the same but it was similar.
One night after falling at home to Phoenix, the New Orleans Pelicans played the same tune and lost to the Suns again Saturday, this time by a 123-114 margin.
The Suns beat the Pelicans on Friday, 115-108. Just like that game, the Pelicans had a shot late to win it.
Like the game Friday, the Pelicans could not close, finishing poorly once again while Phoenix made the plays it needed to make.
As has been the case all season, the Pelicans lost the game from 3-point range and on the boards. Phoenix outscored New Orleans 60-27 from 3-point range as the Suns went 20 for 44. The Suns again blasted the Pelicans on the boards by a 55-43 margin.
The season-long issues for the Pelicans remain and they are not going away with this roster.
New Orleans is one of the worst, if not the worst 3-point shooting team in the league and one of the worst rebounding teams in the league.
Jose Alvarado may be facing a suspension after being ejected for an altercation with Phoenix center Mark Williams. Punches were thrown and Williams was ejected as well.
Unlike Friday, the Pelicans did shoot free throws well, making 29 of 33 attempts but it was not enough.
New Orleans went on an 11-1 run to pull within 108-106 with 3:54 to play on two free throws by Zion Williamson but failed down the stretch.
Williamson, again coming off the bench, scored 22 points in 29 minutes.
Trey Murphy, the only real shooter New Orleans has, scored 24 points, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range.
Derik Queen had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Jeremiah Fears had 18 points while Saddiq Bey had 17 points.
Phoenix, with a host of shooters, had seven players in double figures.
Now 8-25, the Pelicans face another uphill climb at home against Eastern Conference contender New York Monday night. The Knicks (22-9) are second in the East.